$15.0M
Recovery for employees denied legally required meal and rest breaks.
Employment
California Unpaid Wages Lawyer
Is your employer withholding the wages you earned? At Wilshire Law Firm — an award-winning, nationally recognized team — our attorneys help California workers recover unpaid overtime, minimum wage, and missed break pay. Contact us 24/7 for a free case review with a legal professional — there are no fees unless you get paid.
- $3B+RECOVERED
- 7X"BEST LAW FIRM" AWARDS
- 24/7AVAILABILITY & SUPPORT
- 500+LEGAL PROFESSIONALS
Understanding Your Wage & Hour Case
Explore essential resources on your rights, your options, and what to expect — everything you need to navigate the legal process, all in one place.
Unpaid wages are any earnings your employer legally owes you but has failed to pay. Common violations include failure to pay the minimum wage, unpaid overtime, missed meal and rest break premiums, unpaid commissions or bonuses, off-the-clock work, and illegal paycheck deductions. Under California law, workers are generally entitled to overtime at 1.5 times their regular rate after 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week (California Labor Code §510). If any of this sounds familiar, a legal professional can review your pay records during a free case review.
Wilshire Law Firm is an award-winning, nationally recognized team that helps California workers recover the money they earned. Our attorneys review your pay records and employment agreements, explain your rights under California law, and build your case for negotiation or litigation — including claims for unpaid overtime, minimum wage, and break premiums. We handle every conversation with your employer and their lawyers, and there are no fees unless you get paid.
Workers can generally recover the full amount of wages owed plus additional penalties and interest. This commonly includes unpaid minimum wage and overtime (Labor Code §1194), meal and rest break premiums of one hour's pay per violation (Labor Code §226.7), waiting-time penalties of up to 30 days' wages for former employees (Labor Code §203), and interest and attorney's fees. Because every case is unique, a legal professional can calculate what you may be owed during a free case review.
No — retaliation for asserting your wage rights is illegal in California. Your employer generally cannot fire, demote, cut hours, or otherwise punish you for reporting unpaid wages or filing a claim (Labor Code §98.6). If you have already faced retaliation, you may have an additional claim. A legal professional can review what happened and explain your options. Learn more about workplace retaliation.
In most California unpaid wage cases you have three years to file a claim for Labor Code violations such as unpaid overtime and minimum wage. Claims based on a written contract generally allow four years, and unfair-competition claims under Business & Professions Code §17200 also carry a four-year window. Because deadlines vary and missing one can end your claim, it's best to speak with a legal professional early. Explore our broader wage and hour practice.
Meet Our Wage & Hour Attorneys
Nationally-Recognized Powerhouse, Fighting for the Justice You Deserve
Our award-winning attorneys have recovered billions for clients while taking on insurance companies and major corporations.
John G. Yslas, Esq.Senior Partner, Chair of the Employment Wage & Hour Class Action Department
Mary Lee Caruso, Esq.Senior Partner
Tyler J. Woods, Esq.Senior Partner
Arrash Fattahi, Esq.Partner
Benjamin Haber, Esq.Partner
Nicol Hajjar, Esq.Partner
Diego Aviles, Esq.Junior Partner
Jeffrey Bils, Esq.Junior Partner
Emily Borman, Esq.Junior Partner
Jose Maria D. Patino, Jr., Esq.Junior Partner
Christina M. LeJunior Partner
William M. Pao, Esq.Junior Partner
Eugene Zinovyev, Esq.Junior Partner$12.0M
Recovery for employees denied legally required meal and rest breaks.
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Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Each case is unique and evaluated on its own facts.
How Do I Know If I Have an Unpaid Wages Claim in California?
You likely have an unpaid wages claim if your employer failed to pay you the full amount you earned for work you performed. Signs include being paid below minimum wage, working overtime without 1.5x pay, missing meal or rest breaks without premium pay, being asked to work off the clock, or not receiving your final paycheck on time. California's wage laws and filing deadlines apply, so contact Wilshire Law Firm's employment attorneys for a free case review.
Start Your Free Wage & Hour Case Review
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Record breaking results
Winners of #1 Settlements in California
Our attorneys have recovered billions of dollars, including some of the biggest settlements in California.
17#1 Settlements in California, 2022–2024*
TopVerdict #1TopVerdict.com #1 settlements
1–1 of 17
#1 Truck v. Pedestrian Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Multi-Vehicle Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Equipment Malfunction Settlement
2024
#1 Car v. Stationary Object Collision Settlement
2024
#1 Bus v. Passenger Accident Settlement
2024
#1 Whistleblower Retaliation Settlement
2023
#1 Underinsured Motorist Settlement
2023
#1 Slip & Fall Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Negligent Security Settlement
2023
#1 Ladder Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Hotel Premises Liability Settlement
2023
#1 Car v. Car Collision Settlement
2023
#1 Bicycle Accident Settlement
2023
#1 Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Age/Disability Discrimination Settlement
2022
#1 Wrongful Termination Settlement
2022
#1 Meal & Rest Breaks Settlement
2022
*#1 settlements in California have been awarded by TopVerdict.com. Past results do not guarantee similar outcomes.
Wage & Hour FAQs
Our Most Frequently Asked Questions
We've answered the most common ones below. If yours isn't here, call us — we're available 24/7.
Unpaid wages are earnings your employer owes but has not paid. Common examples include unpaid minimum wage or overtime, work performed off the clock, missed meal and rest break premiums, and final wages not paid on time after you leave a job. Improper deductions from your pay can also count.
Possibly. California imposes waiting-time penalties when an employer willfully fails to pay all final wages on time after an employee quits or is discharged. These penalties can continue for up to a set number of days until the wages are paid. The exact amount depends on your daily rate and how late the payment was.
California generally requires employers to provide meal and rest breaks, and to pay an extra hour of premium pay for each day a required break is denied. These premiums are on top of your regular wages. Keeping track of the days you missed breaks can help support a claim.
Many Labor Code wage claims, such as unpaid overtime and minimum wage, generally must be brought within three years, while claims based on a written contract may allow a longer period. Because deadlines have exceptions and depend on the claim, confirm yours promptly. Filing early also helps preserve pay records.
It helps, but it is not required. Employers are legally required to keep accurate pay records, and when those records are missing or inaccurate, your own notes, schedules, and estimates can be used. An attorney can help reconstruct what you are owed. Learn more about how contingency fees work. Learn more about employee misclassification. If you work in San Diego, our San Diego employment lawyers can review your unpaid wage claim.