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Wage and Hour Defense Lawyer for California Employers
Expert Defense for California Wage & Hour Claims.
Navigate complex California labor laws and defend your business against claims of unpaid wages, overtime violations, and meal break disputes. Wage and hour lawsuits can be financially devastating for employers; our experienced attorneys provide aggressive defense and proactive compliance guidance.
Employers only — never employees
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Trusted by 1,500+ companies in California. · Google reviews — 4.8 · Employers only — never employees
§ 01 — Claims we defend
Common claims we defend for California employers.
Our attorneys are adept at dissecting the nuances of each type of claim to build the strongest possible defense for your business.
01
Employee Misclassification
Lab. Code §§ 515 · 2775 (AB 5)
Challenging claims that workers were improperly classified as exempt from overtime or as independent contractors.
Discuss it ↗
02
Unpaid Overtime Hours
Lab. Code §§ 510 · 1194
Defending against allegations of failing to pay time-and-a-half or double-time as required by California law.
Discuss it ↗
03
Meal & Rest Breaks
Lab. Code §§ 512 · 226.7
Handling disputes over providing compliant, uninterrupted meal periods and paid rest breaks — a frequent source of litigation.
Discuss it ↗
04
Off-the-Clock Work
IWC wage orders · § 1194
Countering accusations that employees were required or permitted to perform tasks before or after shifts without pay.
Discuss it ↗
05
Minimum Wage Violations
Lab. Code §§ 1182.12 · 1197
Addressing claims of paying below the applicable state or local minimum wage, including complex piece-rate issues.
Discuss it ↗
06
Inaccurate Wage Statements
Lab. Code § 226
Defending against claims related to itemized wage statements, which can carry significant, stacking penalties.
Discuss it ↗§ 02 — What is at stake
Why this demands an immediate, strategic response
California has some of the most intricate and employee-friendly wage and hour laws in the country — governing everything from minimum wage and overtime to meal breaks and expense reimbursement.
Non-compliance, even when unintentional, can lead to significant penalties, interest, and costly litigation — including class action and PAGA claims. Our firm focuses exclusively on defending employers from these complex, high-stakes threats.
The penalty mechanics are what make these claims dangerous: a missed meal period owes one additional hour of pay per day under Labor Code § 226.7; late final wages accrue waiting-time penalties of up to 30 days’ wages under § 203; and defective wage statements stack per employee, per pay period under § 226. Small errors compound across a workforce fast.
Lab. Code § 226.7
Premium pay stacks daily
Each non-compliant meal or rest period owes one extra hour of pay — per employee, per day, per violation type.
Lab. Code § 203
Waiting-time penalties
Unpaid final wages accrue penalties of up to 30 days of wages per departing employee.
Lab. Code § 2699
The PAGA multiplier
A single alleged violation can be asserted on behalf of every affected employee, per pay period, as civil penalties.
§ 03 — How we defend it
Our strategy on these matters
01→
Records & Audit
We immediately secure payroll records, timekeeping data, policies, and wage statements, and identify what is defensible and what needs to be cured.
02→
Exposure Model
We quantify realistic — not headline — exposure, including penalty stacking, limitations periods, and certification risk, so decisions are made on numbers.
03→
Strategic Defense
Skillful negotiation, mediation, or aggressive litigation — including opposing class certification and asserting every PAGA-specific defense.
04
Compliance Cure
We fix the underlying practices — timekeeping, break attestations, wage statement formats — so the same claim cannot return.
§ 04 — Questions
Common questions on this matter
Q.01What should we do first when we receive a wage and hour claim?+
Preserve payroll and timekeeping records immediately, make no admissions, and get counsel involved before responding. Early strategy — including curing violations where the law allows — can materially reduce exposure.
Q.02Can one employee’s complaint really affect our whole workforce?+
Yes. Wage and hour theories are the most commonly certified class claims, and PAGA lets a single employee seek civil penalties on behalf of all allegedly affected employees, per pay period.
Q.03Are meal and rest break claims defensible?+
Often, yes. California requires that compliant breaks be provided and made available — not policed. Records, attestations, and consistent written policy are frequently the difference.
Related practice areas
John FagerholmEmployer defense attorney · Licensed in California since 2001