Minimum Wage Must Be Paid In California

Every state has – or is bound to – a minimum wage. This minimum wage is the wage that every employee is entitled to, at the very least.

Going over the minimum wage you must be paid in California and speaking with a Northern California employment attorney at Maire & Deedon will help you obtain the compensation you are entitled to.

What Is The Minimum Wage You Must Be Paid While Working In California?

The minimum wage you must be paid while working in California is $16.50 per hour. This is true as of January 1, 2025.

If you are working in a role in which you are owed a minimum wage, you must be paid at least $16.50 for every hour of work that you do.

Even though the above is true, some employers try to avoid paying minimum wage. And, if this occurs, an employer is committing an act called “wage theft.”

What Is Wage Theft?

The definition of “wage theft” is as follows: a situation in which an employer does not pay an employee what they are legally entitled to.

For example, if you are entitled to a minimum wage of $16.50 per hour and you are only paid $13 per hour, this would be considered wage theft.

Or, as another example, if you receive tips from your work, but these tips are withheld from you, this would also be considered a form of wage theft.

You are entitled to all of the wages that you are legally owed. This includes a minimum wage, along with various other wages.

If you are the victim of wage theft, you can work with an attorney. Doing so will help you file a wage theft claim against your employer, allowing you to obtain the wages that you are legally owed.

How Can You Obtain Justice For The Wage Theft You Experienced?

The best way to obtain justice for the wage theft you have experienced is to work with an attorney specializing in employment law.

Outside of working with an attorney who specializes in employment law, you should document the wage theft you experience. This could involve keeping your paychecks and correspondence, among a number of other possibilities.

You can use the documentation in your possession to file a wage theft claim against your employer. Doing this with the assistance of your employer will make things easier.

If the wage theft you are experiencing is particularly egregious, you may want to consider filing a lawsuit against your employer.

The end result of this wage theft claim and/or lawsuit is as follows: all of the money you are owed, as well as further compensation due to penalties/interest, among other things.

Speak With A Northern California Employment Lawyer Today

If you are not being paid the minimum wage you are owed, you should work with an attorney who can help. Speak with a Northern California employment lawyer at Maire & Deedon today to obtain the money to which you are legally entitled.