California Legal Blog – A Deep Dive Into Issues That Affect Your Life

Workplace Investigation — What Are My Rights as an Employee? Top California Labor Lawyer ExplainsWatch this video on YouTube As employees, you have rights during a workplace/human resources investigation. These can be especially strong if you are a public employee or have a collective bargaining agreement. Regardless, your employer must follow company policies during the …

Workers may be entitled to receive compensation for any unused vacation time after they quit. In some states, workers forfeit their unused paid time off (PTO) when they separate from the company. In other states, including California, employers must pay out any unused vacation time immediately upon termination. Many companies, however, maintain a policy of …

In California, your commission agreement controls when, or even whether, an employer is required to provide earned commission pay after your termination. Many California employers use forfeiture provisions that require you to be currently employed to receive your commission. Therefore, if you are terminated before you receive your commission, you forfeit it. If your commission …

On January 2, 2026, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down California’s open carry ban for counties with over 200,000 residents in the case Baird v. Bonta. However, because the California Attorney General immediately petitioned for an en banc rehearing, the ruling has been paused. Open carry currently remains illegal in California and the …

In California, employers are legally required to include certain information on the pay stubs they issue to workers. This is to ensure that wages, deductions, and payee information are correct and comply with state law. If any information is missing or incorrect, it can lead to a wage-and-hour lawsuit. Workers also have a right to inspect their payroll records. Pay Stub …

Dirk or Dagger "When are knives illegal to carry?" — California Knife Laws — Penal Code 21310 PCWatch this video on YouTube In the context of criminal law, a dirk or dagger is defined as a knife or other instrument (with or without a handguard) that can be used immediately as a stabbing weapon, and …

Child Labor Laws in California – 5 Key Facts Every Parent & Employer Should KnowWatch this video on YouTube California’s child labor laws regulate the circumstances under which minors (persons under the age of 18) can work in the state. State laws are supplemented by federal regulations that restrict which occupations may employ minors. Child …

If you are a non-exempt employee in California, you must receive overtime pay (OT) for exceeding certain thresholds of “hours worked.” Specifically, your employer owes you overtime in the following three circumstances: Time-and-a-half pay when you work more than 8 hours in a workday or more than 40 hours in a workweek; Double-time pay when …

In California, the ABC test is one of the tests courts use to determine whether a worker or a vendor is actually an employee versus an independent contractor. Unlike independent contractors, employees have the right to the following legal protections under state and federal employment law: overtime pay, the minimum wage, and other employee benefits. …

What is the legal definition of "harassment" in California?Watch this video on YouTube There are four primary types of harassment, each with its own meaning under California law: civil (non-workplace) harassment, stalking, sexual harassment, and non-sexual harassment. In broad terms, each of these types of harassment involves unwelcome conduct that is either severe or pervasive. …

An alternative workweek schedule (AWS) is a set workweek in California that requires you to work more than 8 hours in a 24-hour period but has fewer days in the workweek. You and fellow employees (a “work unit”) can decide to use an AWS by voting. If an AWS is adopted, it can impact your …

Ten of the most important rights that you have under California employment law include: Overtime pay, Meal and rest breaks, Anti-discrimination rights, Protection from sexual harassment, Family and medical leave, Minimum wages and expense reimbursements, Protection from workplace retaliation, Workplace safety and privacy, Sick leave, and Protection from wrongful termination. All of these California employee …

In California, a constructive dismissal happens when you voluntarily quit because your employer created intolerable working conditions. Those conditions have to be bad enough that you have no reasonable alternative but to resign. Even though you quit, the discharge is treated as a termination. If your employer had no right to fire you, it can lead …

Bonus pay can impact overtime calculations for non-exempt employees if it is a nondiscretionary bonus. These bonuses can change the worker’s regular rate of pay, which is used to calculate overtime pay. Discretionary bonuses, on the other hand, generally do not alter the regular rate of pay and do not impact overtime. How does overtime …

In California, you can be disciplined for submitting a timesheet late or with errors. However, employers are not allowed to delay or dock your pay for a timesheet mishap. Instead, the discipline is limited to warnings, suspensions, or terminations but cannot be done in a discriminatory fashion. In this article, I discuss what you need …

The state of California has numerous laws and regulations that govern how and when paychecks are to be issued. You should be aware of five key rights: what your pay stub has to include, when you are entitled to your wages, your rights to examine your payroll records, what has to be included in your …

In California, the statute of limitations to sue for wrongful termination is either: two years for breach of an implied employment contract or for public policy violations; or three years for FEHA violations, WARN Act violations, or whistleblower retaliation (including Sarbanes-Oxley Act); or four years for breach of a written employment contract. Note that in …

California Labor Code section 2802 requires employers to reimburse their workers for business expenses. Those business expenses include anything you spend in the discharge of your job duties or to follow your employer’s instructions. If you are not reimbursed for these expenses, then you can recover them, as well as attorneys’ fees, in a wage …