Before sending a требование, you need to calculate how much your работодатель owes you. This requires gathering your records, reconstructing your hours worked, and applying California's wage and сверхурочные rules. The more precise your calculation, the more credible your demand will be.

Step-by-step calculation process:

1. Determine Your Трудовое Право Status: Are you non-exempt (entitled to сверхурочные) or exempt (not entitled to сверхурочные)? Many работникs are misclassified as exempt when they don't meet the legal requirements.
2. Calculate Your Regular Rate: This is your hourly rate plus any nondiscretionary bonuses, commissions, and shift differentials, divided by total hours. This is the base for calculating сверхурочные premiums.
3. Reconstruct Your Hours: For each pay period in question, determine: (a) total hours worked each day, (b) whether you received meal/rest breaks, (c) total hours for the week.
4. Calculate Unpaid Сверхурочные: Apply California's daily OT rules (over 8 hours = 1.5×; over 12 hours = 2×), weekly OT rules (over 40 = 1.5×), and seventh-day rules.
5. Calculate Meal/Rest Break Premiums: One hour of pay for each day a meal or rest break was missed or noncompliant.
6. Calculate Waiting Time Штрафы: If you were terminated and заработная плата weren't paid timely, calculate daily wage × days unpaid (max 30).

Many California работодательs misclassify работникs as "exempt" from сверхурочные to avoid paying time-and-a-half. Just because you're paid a salary or have a "manager" title doesn't mean you're exempt. California has strict requirements for exemptions.

Requirements for exempt status in California:

Red flags that you're misclassified:

• You have a manager title but don't actually supervise anyone or have hiring/firing authority
• You're paid a salary but it's below the legal threshold
• Your actual job duties are the same as hourly workers (retail sales, customer service, manual labor)
• You don't exercise discretion or independent judgment—you follow specific procedures or scripts
• Your "salary" gets reduced if you miss time (true salary can't be docked for partial-day absences)

Your сверхурочные rate is based on your "regular rate," which is NOT necessarily your base hourly rate. California law requires including certain forms of компенсация in the regular rate calculation, which increases your сверхурочные premium.

What gets included in regular rate:

• Base hourly wage: Your stated hourly rate
• Nondiscretionary bonuses: Production bonuses, attendance bonuses, sales commissions based on formula
• Shift differentials: Extra pay for night shift, weekend shift, etc.
• Piece-rate or commission: If paid per unit or commission, this must be factored into regular rate

What does NOT get included:

• Discretionary bonuses (работодатель decides amount and criteria)
• Gifts and special occasion bonuses
• Возмещение for expenses
• Premium pay for hours outside regular schedule (if работодатель designates specific premiums as excludable)

Many California работодательs require or permit работникs to work off-the-clock—before clocking in, after clocking out, through meal breaks, or from home. All time that the работодатель "suffered or permitted" you to work must be compensated, even if you weren't explicitly told to clock in.

Common types of unpaid off-the-clock work:

Use this format to organize your wage требование. Create a table like this for each pay period where you were underpaid:

A California wage and сверхурочные требование should be detailed, well-organized, and grounded in specific трудовой кодекс sections. Your goal is to show the работодатель (and their адвокат/HR) that you have a strong, well-documented требование and that fighting it will cost them more in штрафы and адвокат's fees than settling.

Core structure of your требование:

1. Opening and Identification: Your name, position, dates of employment, and a clear statement that you are demanding payment of невыплаченная зарплата under California трудовой кодекс.
2. Трудовое Право Details: Job title, duties, pay structure (hourly/salary), actual pay rate, and whether you were classified as exempt or non-exempt.
3. Legal Нарушениеs: Cite specific трудовой кодекс sections violated (unpaid OT, missed breaks, минимальная зарплата, waiting time, etc.). Explain briefly why each нарушение applies to your situation.
4. Detailed Calculation: Provide a clear breakdown of what you're owed: невыплаченная зарплата, сверхурочные premiums, meal/rest break premiums, waiting time штрафы. Use tables or spreadsheets.
5. Итого Demand: State the total amount owed, plus a statement that you reserve the right to seek additional штрафы, interest, and адвокат's fees if судебный процесс is necessary.
6. Deadline and Следующие Шаги: Give the работодатель 15-30 days to respond and pay. State that if they don't respond, you will file a DLSE требование or судебный иск (or both).

Your требование must include specific information to be effective. Missing key details will weaken your требование and invite the работодатель to dispute your calculations.

• Your full name and contact information
• Работодатель's legal name and address (send to registered agent or HR department)
• Your job title and employment dates (start date, end date if terminated)
• Your pay rate and pay frequency (hourly/salary, weekly/biweekly)
• Specific pay periods or dates where underpayment occurred
• Nature of нарушениеs with трудовой кодекс citations (e.g., "Работодатель violated трудовой кодекс § 510 by failing to pay daily сверхурочные for hours over 8 per day")
• Calculation of убытки (show your math in a clear table)
• Supporting documentation (attach pay stubs, time records, schedules, emails)
• Statement of добросовестность (you attempted to resolve this directly or you're providing notice before filing with DLSE/суд)
• Deadline for response (typically 15-30 days)
• Warning of additional exposure (mention PAGA, адвокат's fees, additional штрафы if судебный процесс ensues)

One of your strongest pieces of leverage in a California wage требование is the potential for PAGA штрафы and mandatory адвокат's fees. Including these warnings in your требование significantly increases мировое соглашение pressure.

Sending your требование to the right person at the right address is critical. If you send it to the wrong place or the wrong person, the работодатель may требование they never received it or use the delay to their advantage.

Who to send to (in order of preference):

1. HR Director or HR Department: If your работодатель has an HR department, send your demand to the HR Director by name (if known) or to "Human Ресурсы Director" at the company's principal place of business.
2. Owner or Principal Officer: If it's a small business without HR, send to the owner, president, or managing member. You can usually find this information on the Secretary of State's business entity database.
3. Registered Agent: Every California business must have a registered agent for service of process. Отправить a copy to the registered agent (you can find this on the California Secretary of State website) в дополнение к HR or the owner.
4. Payroll Company (CC): If you know your работодатель uses an outside payroll provider (ADP, Paychex, etc.), consider CC'ing the payroll company. They sometimes have influence over the работодатель and may encourage мировое соглашение to avoid being dragged into судебный процесс.

Your требование should be accompanied by supporting documentation that proves your hours and your calculations. The more доказательства you provide upfront, the harder it is for the работодатель to dispute your требование.

Documents to attach as exhibits:

• Exhibit A: Time records or reconstructed hours (spreadsheet showing dates, hours worked, hours paid)
• Exhibit B: Pay stubs for the relevant period
• Exhibit C: Work schedules (if you have them)
• Exhibit D: Emails, texts, or other communications showing hours worked or instructions to work off the clock
• Exhibit E: Offer letter or employment agreement showing your pay rate
• Exhibit F: Job description (if it shows you don't meet exempt duties test)
• Exhibit G: Any prior исковое заявлениеs or communications with работодатель about pay issues

Your требование должно включать a clear deadline for the работодатель to respond and pay. The deadline should be reasonable but not so long that it allows the работодатель to delay indefinitely.

Recommended deadlines:

• 15 days: If you're still employed and need quick resolution, or if the amount owed is small and undisputed
• 21 days: Standard deadline that gives работодатель time to investigate and respond
• 30 days: If the требование is complex, involves large amounts, or you're willing to be patient to avoid судебный процесс

After you send your требование, one of several things will happen. Understanding the likely responses will help you decide on next steps.

If your работодатель doesn't pay after receiving your требование, you have three main options for enforcing your требование: (1) file a wage требование with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), (2) file a civil судебный иск in суд, or (3) hire an адвокат to negotiate or litigate on your behalf. Each option has advantages and disadvantages.

The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), also called the Labor Commissioner's Office, provides a free, relatively informal process for работникs to recover невыплаченная зарплата. You don't need an адвокат to file a DLSE требование, and the process is designed to be accessible to unrepresented workers.

Advantages of DLSE claims:

• Нет cost to file: The DLSE process is completely free. You don't pay судебная пошлинаs or need to hire an адвокат (though you can have one if you want).
• Informal process: The hearing is less formal than суд. You don't need to know complex legal procedures or rules of доказательства.
• State investigates: A deputy labor commissioner will investigate your требование, review the доказательства, and make a determination. The burden is on the работодатель to prove they paid you correctly.
• Covers most wage claims: DLSE handles невыплаченная зарплата, unpaid сверхурочные, meal/rest break premiums, waiting time штрафы, and wage statement нарушениеs.
• Faster than суд: DLSE hearings typically occur within 6-12 months of filing, which is faster than civil судебный процесс.

Disadvantages of DLSE claims:

• Limited remedies: DLSE cannot award эмоциональные страдания убытки, punitive убытки (in most cases), or незаконное увольнение убытки. You're limited to the wage-related remedies.
• Работодатель can апелляция to суд: If the Labor Commissioner rules in your favor, the работодатель can апелляция and force you into суд anyway. This can delay payment significantly.
• Нет PAGA штрафы: DLSE claims are individual claims. You cannot bring a PAGA representative action through DLSE.
• Overburdened system: DLSE is backlogged in many areas, and it can take months to get a hearing date.
• Limited discovery: You have limited ability to compel the работодатель to produce documents or answer questions before the hearing.

How to file a DLSE wage требование:

1. Go to the DLSE website (dir.ca.gov/dlse) and download form DLSE-1 (Initial Report or Требование)
2. Complete the form, describing the nature of your требование and the заработная плата owed
3. Attach supporting documentation (pay stubs, time records, schedules)
4. Отправить the form online or in person at your local DLSE office
5. DLSE will send a copy to your работодатель and schedule a мировое соглашение conference
6. If мировое соглашение fails, DLSE will schedule a hearing before a deputy labor commissioner
7. After the hearing, the Labor Commissioner will issue an Order, Decision, or Award (ODA)
8. If the работодатель doesn't апелляция, you can enforce the ODA like a суд judgment

Instead of filing with DLSE, вы можете подать a судебный иск directly in Superior Суд (or Суд Мелких Тяжб for claims under $10,000). This gives you more control over the process and access to broader remedies, but it's more expensive and complex.

Advantages of filing in суд:

• Broader remedies: вы можете потребовать not only невыплаченная зарплата but also PAGA штрафы, injunctive relief, and in some cases эмоциональные страдания убытки if возмездие is involved.
• Адвокат's fees: California трудовой кодекс §§ 1194 and 218.5 provide for mandatory адвокат's fees if you prevail. This makes it economically viable for адвокатs to take wage cases on contingency.
• Full discovery: You can conduct formal discovery (interrogatories, document requests, depositions) to obtain доказательства from the работодатель.
• Class or representative actions: You can bring a class action on behalf of similarly situated работникs or a PAGA representative action seeking штрафы on behalf of the state.
• Нет апелляция trap: Unlike DLSE, where the работодатель can апелляция and start over, a суд judgment is final (subject only to standard appellate review).

Disadvantages of filing in суд:

• Need an адвокат: Суд судебный процесс is complex and adversarial. Unless the требование is very small (Small Claims), you'll likely need an адвокат.
• Upfront costs: Filing fees, service of process costs, and expert свидетель fees can add up. Однако, адвокатs often advance these costs in wage cases.
• Longer timeline: Civil судебный процесс typically takes 12-24 months or longer from filing to trial, though many cases settle earlier.
• Работодатель will fight harder: In суд, the работодатель will hire counsel and mount a vigorous defense. You'll face motions, discovery battles, and potentially a jury trial.

For many работникs, the best approach is to hire an employment адвокат to send a требование, negotiate with the работодатель, and if necessary, file suit. California's mandatory адвокат's fees provisions make this economically viable even for moderate-sized claims.

What an адвокат can do for you:

• Evaluate your требование: An experienced адвокат can review your facts and tell you what ваше дело is actually worth, including штрафы and fees you may not have considered.
• Отправить a more powerful demand: A требование on law firm letterhead signals that you're serious and that судебный процесс is imminent if the работодатель doesn't settle.
• Negotiate from strength: Адвокатs know how to negotiate with работодательs and their counsel, and can often obtain better мировое соглашениеs than unrepresented работникs.
• Handle all procedures: Your адвокат will handle filing, discovery, motions, and trial, freeing you from the burden of managing complex судебный процесс.
• Pursue PAGA and class claims: If your работодатель's нарушениеs are widespread, your адвокат can bring a PAGA representative action or class action that benefits other работникs and increases мировое соглашение pressure.

How employment адвокатs charge:

Most California employment адвокатs handle wage and hour cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront and the адвокат gets paid a percentage of the взыскание (typically 33-40%). Because California law provides for mandatory адвокат's fees if you win, the работодатель often ends up paying your адвокат's fees on top of the заработная плата and штрафы owed to you.

California has time limits for bringing wage and hour claims. If you wait too long, you'll lose the right to recover your невыплаченная зарплата. Understanding these deadlines is critical.

Not every wage требование requires an адвокат. Use this guide to determine when you can handle things yourself versus when professional legal help makes sense.

• Simple, clear-cut требование: Работодатель simply didn't pay заработная плата owed—no dispute about hours or amounts
• Good documentation: You have pay stubs, time records, and other proof of what you're owed
• Smaller dollar amount: Claims under $12,500 can be handled through суд мелких тяжб or DLSE wage требование
• Cooperative работодатель: Работодатель acknowledges the debt and seems willing to pay
• Single нарушение type: Just невыплаченная зарплата, not combined with сверхурочные, meal breaks, or other issues

• Significant dollar amount: Claims over $25,000 with штрафы and interest justify legal representation
• Multiple нарушение types: Unpaid сверхурочные, meal/rest breaks, misclassification, and other combined issues
• Работодатель disputes the требование: They deny you're owed заработная плата, contest your hours, or требование exemptions apply
• Misclassification issues: You were classified as exempt or independent подрядчик and believe that's wrong
• PAGA potential: Нарушениеs affected other работникs and may warrant representative PAGA action
• Возмездие concerns: You've been disciplined or fired after complaining about wage issues

• Contingency fees: Most employment адвокатs work on contingency—no fee unless you win
• Fee-shifting: California law requires работодательs to pay your адвокат fees when you prevail
• Maximize взыскание: Адвокатs identify all applicable штрафы (waiting time, wage statement, PAGA, etc.)
• Discovery power: Subpoena работодатель records including timekeeping data and payroll
• Class action potential: If нарушениеs are company-wide, убытки can multiply significantly
• Мировое Соглашение leverage: Работодательs take claims more seriously when you're represented

If you've been denied заработная плата, сверхурочные, meal breaks, or other компенсация owed under California law, I can help you recover what you're owed—plus штрафы and адвокат's fees. I represent работникs throughout California in wage and hour claims against работодательs of all sizes, from small businesses to large corporations.

What I handle:

• Unpaid заработная плата and сверхурочные (daily, weekly, seventh-day)
• Missed meal and rest break premiums
• Misclassification as exempt (improperly denied сверхурочные)
• Minimum wage нарушениеs
• Off-the-clock work
• Waiting time штрафы for unpaid final заработная плата
• Wage statement нарушениеs
• PAGA representative actions for widespread нарушениеs
• Class actions on behalf of similarly situated работникs
• Возмездие for making wage claims

My approach to wage and hour cases is thorough, strategic, and results-driven. I don't just calculate the невыплаченная зарплата—I identify every available штраф, premium, and remedy to maximize your total взыскание.

1. Comprehensive Требование Analysis: I review your pay stubs, time records, job duties, and pay structure to identify ALL нарушениеs—not just the obvious ones. Many работникs don't realize they were misclassified as exempt, are owed meal break premiums, or qualify for waiting time штрафы. I find everything you're owed.
2. Precise Calculation: I calculate exactly what you're owed using California's complex wage and hour rules. This includes regular rate calculations that factor in bonuses and commissions, daily and weekly сверхурочные, double-time, meal and rest break premiums, and all applicable штрафы.
3. Strategic Требование: I send a detailed требование that demonstrates the strength of your требование, cites specific трудовой кодекс sections, and warns of адвокат's fees and PAGA exposure. This creates immediate мировое соглашение pressure.
4. Negotiation or Судебный Процесс: If the работодатель responds reasonably, I negotiate a мировое соглашение. If they lowball or deny ответственность, I file suit in Superior Суд and pursue the требование aggressively through discovery, motions, and trial if necessary.
5. PAGA and Class Action Assessment: If your работодатель's нарушениеs are systematic and affect other работникs, I evaluate whether a PAGA representative action or class action is appropriate. These cases can result in much larger recoveries and force работодательs to change their illegal practices.
6. Возмездие Protection: If your работодатель retaliates against you for making a wage требование (firing, demotion, schedule changes), I pursue a separate возмездие требование that can include reinstatement, back pay, эмоциональные страдания, and punitive убытки.