The Penalties For Not Paying Employees On Time In California

The state of California has rules and regulations that outline when employees must be paid. If these rules are violated, an employer can face harsh penalties.

Going over the penalties for not paying employees on time in the state of California and speaking with an experienced Redding, CA, employment law attorney will make it easier for you to obtain the compensation you are owed.

When Does Your Employer Need To Pay You?

Right before you become an employee at a particular organization, you will, in most cases, sign an employment agreement. This agreement must clarify when you will receive your regular paycheck.

While some exemptions apply, generally, your employer needs to pay you at least twice a month. And, when your employer pays you in California, they must do so within the following time frame:

1. All of the work you perform between the first day of the month and the fifteenth day of the month should be compensated in a paycheck you receive between the sixteenth day and the twenty-sixth day of the month.
2. All of the work you perform between the sixteenth day of the month and the final day of the month should be compensated in a paycheck you receive between the first and tenth day of the following month.

Just as an example, if you work every single day, from February 5th to February 10th, you must be paid for this work by February 26th.

On the other hand, if you work on February 16th and February 27th, you must receive compensation for these two days of work by March 10th.

What Happens If Your Employer Does Not Pay You On Time?

If your employer does not pay you on time, they could face several different penalties. And, some of the most notable of these penalties are as follows:

1. If your employer fails to pay you on time once, then they must pay a penalty of $100. But, if other employees have also not been paid on time, your employer must pay $100, for each of those employees.
2. If your employer fails to pay you on time more than once, your employer must pay a penalty of $200, as well as 25% of the late wages, on top of the wages they already owe.

Regarding the second point, a good example of this is as follows: your employer paid you late once and now owes you $400, and pays you ten days late, meaning that they must now pay $400, plus $200, and then another $100.

Outside of the example clarified above, this rule applies to any other affected employees. This means that, if two employees are paid late, your employer must pay a $200 penalty for each one, as well as 25% of the wages owed.

Speak With A Northern California Employment Law Attorney Today

If you are not being paid the wages you are entitled to, within the time frame your employer is legally obligated to abide by, you must obtain legal help.

Speak with a Northern California employment law attorney at Maire & Deedon today to obtain the compensation you are legally entitled to.