California Wage Theft Blog
Know your rights. Know what you’re owed. Know how to collect.
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Wage Theft FAQ: The Questions California Workers Ask Most
Every month California workers ask the same core questions about wage theft. This post answers the most common ones directly and without jargon. The Top Questions How far back can I go? Three years for most wage claims. Do I need a lawyer? No — the DLSE accepts claims directly. Can my employer fire me…
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The Unpaid Intern Problem: When Internships Cross Into Wage Theft
Unpaid internships are legal under California law only in narrow circumstances. Most unpaid internships — particularly at for-profit companies — are illegal, and the interns are employees owed minimum wage for every hour worked. The Test California applies a multi-factor test to determine whether an unpaid internship is lawful. Key factors include: whether the internship…
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The Unpaid Intern Problem: When Internships Cross Into Wage Theft
Unpaid internships are legal under California law only in narrow circumstances. Most unpaid internships — particularly at for-profit companies — are illegal, and the interns are employees owed minimum wage for every hour worked. The Test California applies a multi-factor test to determine whether an unpaid internship is lawful. Key factors include: whether the internship…
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Car Washes, Garment Shops, and Day Labor: High-Risk Industries for Wage Theft
Certain California industries have chronic, documented wage theft problems. Workers in these industries face not only violations but also structural barriers to recovery — barriers the law has specifically addressed. Industry-Specific Protections California has enacted industry-specific wage theft protections for: garment workers (brand liability), car wash workers (surety bond requirements), and agricultural workers (joint employer…
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A Worker’s Guide to the DLSE Wage Claim Conference
California workers: A Worker’s Guide to the DLSE Wage Claim Conference. Learn your rights under California wage law, calculate what you’re owed, and file a claim with the DLSE. Free evaluation available.
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Tracking Hours When There’s No Timeclock
California workers: Tracking Hours When There’s No Timeclock. Learn your rights under California wage law, calculate what you’re owed, and file a claim with the DLSE. Free evaluation available.
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How Independent Contractors Become Employees Under California Law
California workers: How Independent Contractors Become Employees Under California Law. Learn your rights under California wage law, calculate what you’re owed, and file a claim with the DLSE. Free evaluation available.
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The Connection Between Wage Theft and Worker Safety
California workers: The Connection Between Wage Theft and Worker Safety. Learn your rights under California wage law, calculate what you’re owed, and file a claim with the DLSE. Free evaluation available.
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What Happens to Your Wage Claim If Your Employer Closes or Files Bankruptcy
California workers: What Happens to Your Wage Claim If Your Employer Closes or Files Bankruptcy. Learn your rights under California wage law, calculate what you’re owed, and file a claim with the DLSE. Free evaluation available.
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Domestic Workers and Wage Theft: The California Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
California workers: Domestic Workers and Wage Theft: The California Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. Learn your rights under California wage law, calculate what you’re owed, and file a claim with the DLSE. Free evaluation available.
California Wage Theft Recovery System 