Hold Your Employer Accountable With Our Wage and Hour Lawyer in Hollywood!

Feeling undervalued or taken advantage of at work can suck the life out of you and make it increasingly difficult to show up for your shift. 

Maybe you’re enduring long hours without the proper overtime pay, or you’re being forced to go without mandated breaks. Worse, you could be dealing with unexplained deductions from your paycheck. Any of these situations is a breach of California’s labor laws.

After all, the Golden State is known for some of the strongest workplace protections in the entire country. You have more rights than you may realize - which is part of the problem. Employees often don’t realize they have a case for wage and hour violations.

That’s why it’s worth having a conversation with a wage and hour attorney in Hollywood if you ever feel as if you’re being exploited. Here at Starpoint Law, we know how overwhelming this whole process can be without the right support - we’re here to guide you through it from A to Z.

Get in touch today so we can talk about your situation and explain your rights, determine if you have a case for compensation, and discuss the next steps. Let’s hold your employer accountable and earn you what you’re owed!

What are Some Examples of Wage and Hour Violations in the Workplace?

Part of what makes addressing wage and hour violations so challenging is they can be quite subtle, with so many instances flying under the radar. That’s why we always encourage California workers to research their rights. These include:

Unpaid Overtime

Under California labor laws, non-exempt employees are entitled to 1.5x their regular pay for:

  • Hours worked beyond 8 in a single day or 40 in a workweek.
  • The first 8 hours on the seventh consecutive workday in a week.

You might be aware of these already, but did you know you could be earning double pay in certain circumstances? For example, working more than 12 hours in a single day or more than 8 hours on a seventh consecutive day are both instances where you’d earn 2x your normal rate.

As you can imagine, employers are not eager to pay these higher wages, and will sometimes attempt to get around them by classifying workers as exempt, encouraging “off-the-clock” work, or manipulating timesheets. Any of these incidents constitute a conversation with a trusted wage and hour lawyer in Hollywood.  

Misclassification of Workers

Whether it’s on purpose or negligence, misclassifying employees as independent contractors or exempt workers is very common. This can prevent you from getting access to the benefits, overtime pay, and other rights California employees are afforded.

California’s AB-5 law has strict guidelines for determining who qualifies as an independent contractor. Workers misclassified in violation of these laws may be entitled to unpaid wages, benefits, and damages. 

If you think you’re a victim of misclassification, then you probably are - but the only way to know for sure is to ask a seasoned wage and hour attorney in Hollywood, like Starpoint Law.

Failure to Provide Meal and Rest Breaks

California law requires employers to:

  • Provide a 30-minute meal break for every 5 hours worked.
  • Grant a second 30-minute meal break if the shift exceeds 10 hours.
  • Offer a 10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours worked.

While you might not mind working through your break to get caught up on some work on your own volition, being asked by your employer to do is a breach of your rights. 

Your boss cannot interrupt or deny any of these mandated breaks. If they do, then you could be entitled to an additional hour of pay for each violation.

Paycheck and Wage Statement Violations

California labor laws require employers to provide accurate and timely paychecks with clear itemized wage statements. There are a few different violations that can occur regarding your paychecks:

  • Failing to issue paychecks on time.
  • Withholding wages without proper authorization.
  • Providing incomplete or inaccurate pay stubs, leaving employees unable to verify their hours or deductions.

While sometimes these are a simple misunderstanding or an honest mistake, it’s worth exploring further to figure out if there was any intent behind the error. If so, you could be entitled to compensation beyond recovering any sort of missed wages.

Minimum Wage Violations

Hollywood and other cities in Los Angeles County often have higher minimum wage rates than California’s state standard. Employers must adhere to these local rates, but some pay below the minimum or fail to adjust pay according to local regulations.

Denied Sick Leave and Vacation Pay

California’s Paid Sick Leave Law guarantees employees at least one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Additionally, any promised vacation pay falls under the umbrella of earned wages and must be paid upon termination. 

Employers who deny sick leave, discourage its use, or fail to pay unused vacation wages may be in violation of labor laws. You might have a case, so don’t hesitate to contact a wage and hour attorney in Hollywood.

Retaliation for Asserting Rights

Part of what keeps California employees from fighting for their workplace rights is fear of retaliation. Maybe you’re worried about being docked pay, demoted, harassed, or even fired. 

Any of these actions is an example of retaliation and is illegal under California labor laws. In many of these cases, you could be entitled to additional claims for damages. The only way to know for sure, though, is by getting in touch with a skilled wage and hour lawyer in Hollywood.

How the Right Legal Support Can Help You Navigate Wage and Hour Violations

Facing wage and hour violations is stressful, but the good news is you don’t have to handle it alone. In fact, we highly recommend partnering with an experienced wage and hour attorney in Hollywood right from the start. 

Not only will this save you time and stress, but it can set you up for success and increase your odds of a favorable outcome. Here’s why the right support is well worth the investment:

  • Case Evaluation: A skilled attorney will review your case to determine whether your employer violated labor laws and what compensation you may be entitled to. They’ll clarify your rights under California’s wage and hour laws and outline your options.
  • Evidence Collection: The evidence-gathering process can make or break your case, and a lawyer can assist in collecting timecards, pay stubs, employment contracts, and witness statements. They’ll also identify discrepancies or patterns of unlawful behavior.
  • Legal Representation: Submitting your complaint through the California Labor Commissioner’s Office or filing a lawsuit requires legal expertise. Your lawyer will handle negotiations, file formal complaints, and represent you in court if necessary, so you can rest assured your interests are protected every step of the way.
  • Maximizing Compensation: Employers found in violation of wage and hour laws may owe back pay, penalties, and damages. An experienced lawyer will help you collect the full compensation you deserve, including unpaid wages, overtime, missed break penalties, and interest.

The challenge lies in finding a wage and hour attorney in Hollywood you can trust, but you don’t have to look far. Starpoint Law has played an integral role in securing workplace justice for Hollywood employees just like yourself. We’re eager to the same for you.

Why Starpoint Law is Your Trusted Wage and Hour Attorney in Hollywood

Starpoint Law has earned a reputation as the go-to wage and hour lawyer in Hollywood not just because of our track record of achieving favorable outcomes for our clients, but also the compassion and personalization you’ll enjoy every step of the way.

You can expect world-class customer service, passionate empathy, and relentless advocacy on your behalf. We have decades of combined experience, and we’ve fought and won numerous cases for Hollywood workers. 

We know all too well the emotional toll that wage and hour violations can take. That’s why beyond trying to help you claim the maximum compensation you’re entitled to, we seek to create lasting change in the workplace to prevent future unlawful practices from taking place. 

While you came here looking for a wage and hour lawyer in Hollywood, we are actually known as the most trusted California wage and hour attorney in the area. We’ve won cases from LA to Long Beach and everywhere in between, including:

As your trusted employment attorney in Hollywood we can also assist with any discriminatory acts committed against you in the workplace as well, whether you need a pregnancy discrimination attorney Hollywood or a disability discrimination attorney Hollywood.

All of this is to say you can count on Starpoint Law as your advocate in workplace justice. Plus, your initial consultation is free - what do you have to lose? Get in touch with our wage and hour lawyer in Hollywood now and take the first step towards workplace justice.