California's overtime laws provide much more substantial protections for employees beyond federal regulations. Non-exempt California employees are entitled to overtime pay for:
- Hours worked beyond 8 hours in a workday and 40 hours in a workweek.
- Double the regular rate of pay for hours worked beyond 12 hours in a workday.
- Double the regular rate of pay for hours worked beyond 8 hours on the seventh consecutive workday in a workweek.
Employers can implement alternative workweek schedules with employee agreement such as four ten-hour workdays or nine nine-hour workdays with one eight-hour workday. The rules for complying with an alternative workweek schedule are strict.
Be aware that certain types of employees may not qualify for overtime pay if certain criteria are met. The most common example is the white-collar exemption, which means that certain administrative, executive, or professional employees who are paid more than $1280 a week in salary may not be eligible for overtime. Non-compliance with these laws may result in penalties for employers.
All employers must understand and adhere to these regulations to ensure fair compensation and compliance with the law.
If you believe you were not compensated for your overtime hours, or you did not receive the correct overtime pay, reach out to Gaines & Gaines for a free consultation of your case.