California Wage Orders

California’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) regulates wages and hours of nonexempt employees. For an explanation of exempt and nonexempt status, see Exempt vs. Nonexempt Employees.

In 1913, DIR established an Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC), which created documents called Wage Orders. Wage Orders lay out the wages, hours and working conditions required in each kind of industry or occupation. Wage Orders are numbered 1 through 17 (with each number followed by the year in which the Wage Order was last amended and reprinted). For example, the manufacturing industry is covered by Wage Order 1-2001 and the transportation