Understanding California’s Strict Wage Theft Enforcement

Federal, state and local laws regulating employee pay and hours of work can overwhelm employers, but knowing the ins-and-outs of wage-and-hour law — and applying that knowledge effectively — will pay off in the long term by reducing employers’ chances of facing costly litigation or government citations. One area of particular concern — an area that California enforcement agencies vigorously target — is “wage theft.”

Part of the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), the Labor Commissioner’s Office (also known as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement) enforces California’ wage and hour laws, including targeting industries that tend to employ relatively low-paid