California Overtime & Wage Laws: Employee Rights & Calculations

# California Overtime & Wage Laws: Employee Rights & Calculations Unlike federal law which only mandates overtime after 40 hours in a workweek, **California Labor Code § 510** requires daily overtime pay for non-exempt workers. ## Key California Overtime Rules: 1. **1.5x Regular Rate of Pay**: - Any work beyond 8 hours up to 12 hours in a single workday. - Any work beyond 40 non-overtime hours in a single workweek. - For the first 8 hours worked on the 7th consecutive day of work in a workweek. 2. **2.0x Double Time Rate of Pay**: - Any work beyond 12 hours in a single workday. - Any work beyond 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day of work in a workweek. ## Meal & Rest Break Protections (Labor Code § 226.7 & § 512): - Non-exempt employees working more than 5 hours are entitled to a mandatory 30-minute uninterrupted meal period. - If an employer fails to provide a compliant meal or rest break, they owe the employee one additional hour of pay at their regular rate for each workday a violation occurred (known as break premium pay). ## What Documents to Preserve: - Itemized wage stubs (Labor Code § 226). - Personal time tracking records, emails, or text messages demonstrating work performed off-the-clock.