With each new year, there are many new laws that go into place throughout the United States. In California, there are changes that could impact how you're going to be paid. There are a few important laws set to begin in 2020, but one you should get to know is the new minimum wage.
New laws set to be implemented in January 2020
Wage violations lead to $422,152 of back wage recovery
Several farms in California have been found to be in violation of federal wage laws. According to the Labor Department's investigation, there were widespread violations of the labor provisions of the H-1A visa program as well as the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act. Several of these violations occurred at five Santa Maria farms. Others occurred in Fresno, San Luis Obispo and Oxnard.
Get help if you're not being paid correctly at work
There is never any reason that an employer shouldn't understand how to pay their employees appropriately. There are state laws in place, federal laws to abide by and even specialty attorneys and accountants who can help guarantee that they're paying in accordance with the law.
Is timesheet rounding actually legal?
It's a pretty basic concept: If you go to work and spend time doing your job, you should be paid for that time. The idea that you would not be paid for the effort that you've put in on the job is laughable, which is why you were so surprised when you received a paycheck that was short of several hours' wages.
New law could change the gig economy
The California Senate may be ruling on a new gig economy law in the coming weeks, according to a Sept. 9 report. The law, Assembly Bill 5, would reclassify many "gig" workers, also called independent contractors, as normal W-2 employees. If that happens, companies could be forced to pay out health benefits, overtime pay and workers' compensation among other benefits.
How do employers cheat employees out of hourly wages?
When you're working a job, the expectation is that you will be paid for your time and effort. You likely signed a contract that stated how much you'd be paid and how often you'd receive it, too.
Don't let your employer pay you incorrectly: Speak out
Recognizing when you're being shorted on your paychecks might not be simple, but it's something you should make sure you're checking every time you receive one. Whether it's a missing hour of pay or overtime that hasn't been paid, you shouldn't allow someone to take advantage of your time.
Off-the-clock work: 3 examples
Your pay depends on how many hours you put in. You get paid directly for each hour of work. If you have to do extra, you get paid time and a half. It's a fairly simple system.
Wage and hour violations occur in many different ways
Have you ever felt like you need to become an employment law expert to determine if you are receiving fair treatment at work? We understand this mindset because we have seen so many blatant wage and hour violations in the state of California. To make matters worse, there is a large volume of laws governing the proper treatment of employees.
