California has some of the strongest wage and hour protections in the country, yet violations remain widespread across nearly every industry. Employers often try to cut labor costs through illegal practices such as unpaid overtime, denied meal and rest breaks, forcing employees to work off the clock, or misclassifying workers as independent contractors. These violations are serious, and California law allows employees to pursue back pay, penalties, attorney’s fees, and more.
At Taban Law Firm, we fight for employees who have been denied the wages they earned. Whether your employer underpaid you, refused breaks, altered time records, or misclassified your position, we are here to protect your rights and recover the compensation you deserve.
Common violations include:
Unpaid minimum wage
Unpaid overtime (over 8 hours/day, 40 hours/week, or 6 consecutive days)
Unpaid double time
Missed meal breaks (30 minutes, uninterrupted)
Missed rest breaks (10 minutes every 4 hours)
Forced off-the-clock work (working before/after your shift or during breaks)
Unreimbursed business expenses (tools, uniforms, mileage, phone/internet use for work)
Illegal deductions from paychecks
Misclassification as an independent contractor
Failure to provide accurate wage statements
Late or unpaid final paychecks
These violations often happen quietly, and many employees don’t realize they are owed significant compensation.
Your rights are guaranteed under California and federal law, including:
Covers wages, overtime, breaks, waiting time penalties, and more.
Industry-specific rules on hours, breaks, and working conditions.
Federal protections for minimum wage, overtime, and child labor laws.
Employers must comply with both state and federal law, whichever is more protective of employees.
You may be owed overtime if you worked:
If your employer labeled you “salary,” that does not automatically mean you are exempt from overtime. California has strict rules on exemption, and many salaried employees are illegally denied overtime.
California law requires:
When employers deny or interrupt breaks, they must pay an additional hour of wages for each violation.
Many employers misclassify workers to avoid paying overtime, benefits, workers’ compensation, and payroll taxes. Under California’s ABC Test, most workers qualify as employees unless the employer can clearly prove otherwise.
If you were misclassified, you may be entitled to:
Our legal team conducts a thorough investigation and fights on your behalf. We will:
Whether your claim involves a single violation or widespread wage theft affecting dozens of employees, we are prepared to take action.
Depending on your case, you may be entitled to recover:
In cases of intentional or malicious violations, additional penalties may apply.
You may have a claim if:
If something feels wrong, it is worth getting your pay reviewed by an attorney.
At Taban Law Firm, we combine experience, strategy, and personalized attention to deliver powerful representation for injury victims, employees, and consumers across California. Every case receives our full dedication from start to finish.
You never pay upfront or out of pocket. We only get paid if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf, ensuring complete risk-free representation.
We negotiate assertively, build strong evidence-backed cases, and are always prepared to go to trial when necessary to maximize your outcome.
Clients work directly with an experienced attorney not just staff ensuring clear communication, personalized strategy, and updates at every stage of your case.
We gather documentation, interview witnesses, secure expert opinions, and review records to build a strong claim backed by solid evidence.
Wage theft is illegal — and you have the right to recover every dollar you earned. Whether your employer underpaid you, denied breaks, or misclassified your role, Taban Law Firm is here to fight for you.
You worked for your wages, now let us work to recover them.
Or contact us through our online form to get started.