| Links directly to the Federal and State source:
Department
of Labor Index (DOL)
Employment
Law Guide
Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA) General Information
Fair
Labor Standards Act Amendments of 1996
Overtime
Pay Requirements of the FLSA
Independent
Contractors
Exemptions
Federal
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Title
VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)
Civil
Rights Act of 1991
Americans
With Disability Act of 1990 (ADA)
Equal
Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) - Index
Rehabilitation
Act of 1973
Discriminatory
Practices (Overview)
Age
Discrimination Employment Act of 1967(ADEA)
National
Origin Discrimination
Pregnancy
Discrimination
Race/Color
Discrimination
Religious
Discrimination
Sex-Based
Discrimination
Sexual
Harassment
Prohibited
Personnel Practices
California
Labor Code Index
California Classification Exemptions (See California
Labor Code below)
This summary list is designed to provide accurate
and authoritative information regarding the subject
matter covered. It is released with the understanding
that HR Wave, Inc. is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting, or other professional services. If legal
advice or other expert assistance is required, the
services of a competent professional person should
be sought. We are here to help guide you through this
information.
California Wage and Hour Law Section
200
California Wage and Hour Law Section
500
California Wage and Hour Law Amendment
2000
TOP
CALIFORNIA CODES (Printable
Word Version)
LABOR CODE
SECTION 200-243
200. As used in this article: (a) "Wages"
includes all amounts for labor performed by employees
of every description, whether the amount is fixed
or ascertained by the standard of time, task, piece,
commission basis, or other method of calculation.
(b) "Labor" includes labor, work, or service
whether rendered or performed under contract, subcontract,
partnership, station plan, or other agreement if the
labor to be paid for is performed personally by the
person demanding payment.
201. (a) If an employer discharges an employee, the
wages earned and unpaid at the time of discharge are
due and payable immediately. An employer who lays
off a group of employees by reason of the termination
of seasonal employment in the curing, canning, or
drying of any variety of perishable fruit, fish or
vegetables, shall be deemed to have made immediate
payment when the wages of said employees are paid
within a reasonable time as necessary for computation
and payment thereof; provided, however, that the reasonable
time shall not exceed 72 hours, and further provided
that payment shall be made by mail to any employee
who so requests and designates a mailing address therefore.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
state employer shall be deemed to have made an immediate
payment of wages under this section for any unused
or accumulated vacation, annual leave, holiday leave,
or time off to which the employee is entitled by reason
of previous overtime work where compensating time
off was given by the appointing power, provided, at
least five workdays prior to his or her final day
of employment, the employee submits a written election
to his or her appointing power authorizing the state
employer to tender payment for any or all leave to
be contributed on a pretax basis to the employee's
account in a state-sponsored supplemental retirement
plan as described under Sections 401(k), 403 (b),
or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code provided the plan
allows those contributions. The contribution shall
be tendered for payment to the employee's 401(k),
403(b), or 457 plan account no later than 45 days
after the employee's discharge from employment. Nothing
in this section is intended to authorize contributions
in excess of the annual deferral limits imposed under
federal and state law or the provisions of the supplemental
retirement plan itself.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when
the state employer discharges an employee, the employee
may, at least five workdays prior to his or her final
day of employment, submit a written election to his
or her appointing power authorizing the state employer
to defer into the next calendar year payment of any
or all
of the employee's unused or accumulated vacation,
annual leave, holiday leave, or time off to which
the employee is entitled by reason of previous overtime
work where compensating time off was given by the
appointing power. To qualify for the deferral of payment
under this section, only that portion of leave that
extends past the November pay period for state employees
shall be deferred into the next calendar year. An
employee electing to defer payment into the next calendar
year under this section may do any of the following:
(1) Contribute the entire payment to his or her 401(k),
403(b), or 457 plan account.
(2) Contribute any portion of the deferred payment
to his or her 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan account
and receive cash payment for the remaining non-contributed
unused leave. (3) Receive a lump-sum payment for all
of the deferred unused leave as described above.
Payments shall be tendered under this section no later
than February 1 in the year following the employee's
last day of employment. Nothing in this section is
intended to authorize contributions in excess of the
annual deferral limits imposed under federal and state
law or the provisions of the supplemental retirement
plan itself.
201.5. An employer who lays off an employee engaged
in the production of motion pictures, whose unusual
or uncertain terms of employment require special computation
in order to ascertain the amount due, shall be deemed
to have made immediate payment of wages within the
meaning of Section 201 if the wages of the employee
are paid by the next regular payday, as prescribed
by Section 204, following the layoff. For purposes
of this section, "layoff" means the termination
of employment of an employee where the employee retains
eligibility for reemployment with the employer. For
purposes of this section, "discharge" means
the unconditional termination of employment of an
employee. However, if an employee is discharged, payment
of wages shall be made within 24 hours after discharge,
excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. For purposes
of this section, a payment required by this section
may be mailed and the date of mailing is the date
of payment.
The Legislature finds and determines that special
provision must be made for the payment of wages on
layoff and discharge of persons engaged in the production
of motion pictures because their employment at various
locations is often far removed from the employer's
principal administrative offices and the unusual hours
of their employment in this industry is often geared
to the completion of a portion of a picture, which
time of completion may have no relation to normal
working hours.
201.7. An employer who lays off an employee or a
group of employees engaged in the business of oil
drilling shall be deemed to have made immediate payment
within the meaning of Section 201 if the wages of
such employees are paid within such reasonable time
as may be necessary for computation or payment thereof;
provided, however, that such reasonable time shall
not exceed 24 hours after discharge excluding Saturdays,
Sundays, and holidays; and provided further, such
payment may be mailed and the date of mailing is the
date of payment.
The Legislature finds and determines that special
provision must be made for the payment of wages on
discharge of employees engaged in oil drilling because
their employment at various locations is often far
removed from the employer's principal administrative
offices, which makes the computation and payment of
wages on an immediate basis unduly burdensome.
202. (a) If an employee not having a written contract
for a definite period quits his or her employment,
his or her wages shall become due and payable not
later than 72 hours thereafter, unless the employee
has given 72 hours previous notice of his or her intention
to quit, in which case the employee is entitled to
his or her wages at the time of quitting. Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, an employee who quits
without providing a 72-hour notice shall be entitled
to receive payment by mail if he or she so requests
and designates a mailing address. The date of the
mailing shall constitute the date of payment for purposes
of the requirement to provide payment within 72 hours
of the notice of quitting.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
state employer shall be deemed to have made an immediate
payment of wages under this section for any unused
or accumulated vacation, annual leave, holiday leave,
sick leave to which the employee is otherwise entitled
due to a disability retirement, or time off to which
the employee is entitled by reason of previous overtime
work where compensating time off was given by the
appointing power, provided at least five workdays
prior to his or her final day of employment, the employee
submits a written election to his or her appointing
power authorizing the state employer to tender payment
for any or all leave to be contributed on a pretax
basis to the employee's account in a state-sponsored
supplemental retirement plan as described under Sections
401(k), 403(b), or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code
provided the plan allows those contributions. The
contribution shall be tendered for payment to the
employee's 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan account no
later than 45 days after the employee's last day of
employment. Nothing in this section is intended to
authorize contributions in excess of the annual deferral
limits imposed under federal and state law or the
provisions of the supplemental retirement plan itself.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when
a state employee quits, retires, or disability retires
from his or her employment with the state, the employee
may, at least five workdays prior to his or her final
day of employment, submit a written election to his
or her appointing power authorizing the state employer
to defer into the next calendar year payment of any
or all of the employee's unused or accumulated vacation,
annual leave, holiday leave, sick leave to which the
employee is otherwise entitled due to a disability,
retirement, or time off to which the employee is entitled
by reason of previous overtime work where compensating
time off was given by the appointing power. To qualify
for the deferral of payment under this section, only
that portion of leave that extends past the November
pay period for state employees shall be deferred into
the next calendar year under this section may do any
of the following:
(1) Contribute the entire payment to his or her 401(k),
403(b), or 457 plan account. (2) Contribute any portion
of the deferred payment to his or her 401(k), 403(b),
or 457 plan account and receive cash payment for the
remaining non-contributed unused leave.
(3) Receive a lump-sum payment for all of the deferred
unused leave as described above.
Payments shall be tendered under this section no later
than February 1 in the year following the employee's
last day of employment. Nothing in this section is
intended to authorize contributions in excess of the
annual deferral limits imposed under federal and state
law or the provisions of the supplemental retirement
plan itself.
203. If an employer willfully fails to pay, without
abatement or reduction, in accordance with Sections
201, 201.5, 202, and 205.5, any wages of an employee
who is discharged or who quits, the wages of the employee
shall continue as a penalty from the due date thereof
at the same rate until paid or until an action therefore
is commenced; but the wages shall not continue for
more than 30 days. An employee who secretes or absents
himself or herself to avoid payment to him or her,
or who refuses to receive the payment when fully tendered
to him or her, including any penalty then accrued
under this section, is not entitled to any benefit
under this section for the time during which he or
she so avoids payment. Suit may be filed for these
penalties at any time before the expiration of the
statute of limitations on an action for the wages
from which the penalties arise.
203.1. If an employer pays an employee in the regular
course of employment or in accordance with Section
201, 201.5, 201.7, or 202 any wages or fringe benefits,
or both, by check, draft or voucher, which check,
draft or voucher is subsequently refused payment because
the employer or maker has no account with the bank,
institution, or person on which the instrument is
drawn, or has insufficient funds in the account upon
which the instrument is drawn at the time of its presentation,
so long as the same is presented within 30 days of
receipt by the employee of the check, draft or voucher,
those wages or fringe benefits, or both, shall continue
as a penalty from the due date thereof at the same
rate until paid or until an action therefore is commenced.
However, those wages and fringe benefits shall not
continue for more than 30 days and this penalty shall
not apply if the employer can establish to the satisfaction
of the Labor Commissioner or an appropriate court
of law that the violation of this section was unintentional.
This penalty also shall not apply in any case in which
an employee recovers the service charge authorized
by Section 1719 of the Civil Code in an action brought
by the employee thereunder.
203.5. (a) If a bonding company issuing a bond which
secures the payment of wages for labor or the surety
on a bond willfully fails to pay, without abatement
or reduction, any verified claim made for wages found
to be due and payable, the claim for wages shall continue
as a penalty against the bonding company or surety
from the date on which demand for payment was made
at the same rate until paid as the wages upon which
the claim is based, except that the claim shall not
continue as a penalty for more than 30 days.
(b) This section shall not apply to contractor's bonds
required pursuant to Section 7071.6 of the Business
and Professions Code.
204. All wages, other than those mentioned in Section
201, 202, 204.1, or 204. 2, earned by any person in
any employment are due and payable twice during each
calendar month, on days designated in advance by the
employer as the regular paydays. Labor performed between
the 1st and 15th days, inclusive, of any calendar
month shall be paid for between the 16th and the 26th
day of the month during which the labor was performed,
and labor performed between the 16th and the last
day, inclusive, of any calendar month, shall be paid
for between the 1st and 10th day of the following
month. However, salaries of executive, administrative,
and professional employees of employers covered by
the Fair Labor Standards Act, as set forth pursuant
to Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act,
as amended through March 1, 1969, in Part 541 of Title
29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as that part
now reads or may be amended to read at any time hereafter,
may be paid once a month on or before the 26th day
of the month during which the labor was performed
if the entire month's salaries, including the unearned
portion between the date of payment and the last day
of the month, are paid at that time.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
all wages earned for labor in excess of the normal
work period shall be paid no later than the payday
for the next regular payroll period.
However, when employees are covered by a collective
bargaining agreement that provides different pay arrangements,
those arrangements shall apply to the covered employees.
The requirements of this section shall be deemed satisfied
by the payment of wages for weekly, biweekly, or semimonthly
payroll if the wages are paid not more than seven
calendar days following the close of the payroll period.
204a. When workers are engaged in an employment
that normally involves working for several employers
in the same industry interchangeably, and the several
employers, or some of them, cooperate to establish
a plan for the payment of wages at a central place
or places and in accordance with a unified schedule
of pay days, all the provisions of this chapter except
201, 202, and 208 shall apply. All such workers, including
those who have been discharged and those who quit,
shall receive their wages at such central place or
places.
This section shall not apply to any such plan until
10 days after notice of their intention to set up
such a plan shall have been given to the Labor Commissioner
by the employers who cooperate to establish the plan.
Having once been established, no such plan can be
abandoned except after notice of their intention to
abandon such plan has been given to the Labor Commissioner
by the employers intending to abandon the plan.
204b. Section 204 shall be inapplicable to employees
paid on a weekly basis on a regular day designated
by the employer in advance of the rendition of services
as the regular payday. Labor performed by a weekly-paid
employee during any calendar week and prior to or
on the regular payday shall be paid for not later
than the regular payday of the employer for such weekly-paid
employee falling during the following calendar week.
Labor performed by a weekly-paid employee during any
calendar week and subsequent to the regular payday
shall be paid for not later than seven days after
the regular payday of the employer for such weekly-paid
employee falling during the following calendar week.
204c. Section 204 shall be inapplicable to executive,
administrative or professional employees who are not
covered by any collective bargaining agreement, who
are not subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, whose
monthly remuneration does not include overtime pay,
and who are paid within seven days of the close of
their monthly payroll period.
204.1. Commission wages paid to any person employed
by an employer licensed as a vehicle dealer by the
Department of Motor Vehicles are due and payable once
during each calendar month on a day designated in
advance by the employer as the regular payday. Commission
wages are compensation paid to any person for services
rendered in the sale of such employer's property or
services and based proportionately upon the amount
or value thereof.
The provisions of this section shall not apply if
there exists a collective bargaining agreement between
the employer and his employees, which provides for
the date on which wages shall be paid.
204.2. Salaries of executive, administrative, and
professional employees of employers covered by the
Fair Labor Standards Act, as set forth pursuant to
Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of
1938, as amended through March 1, 1969, (Title 29,
Section 213 (a)(1), United States Code) in Part 541
of Title 29 of the Code of
Federal Regulations, as that part now reads, earned
for labor performed in excess of 40 hours in a calendar
week are due and payable on or before the 26th day
of the calendar month immediately following the month
in which such labor was performed. However, when such
employees are covered by a collective bargaining agreement
that provides different pay arrangements, those arrangements
will apply to the covered employees.
204.3. (a) An employee may receive, in lieu of overtime
compensation, compensating time off at a rate of not
less than one and one-half hours for each hour of
employment for which overtime compensation is required
by law. If an hour of employment would otherwise be
compensable at a rate of more than one and one-half
times the employee's regular rate of compensation,
then the employee may receive compensating time off
commensurate with the higher rate.
(b) An employer may provide compensating time off
under subdivision (a) if the following four conditions
are met:
(1) The compensating time off is provided pursuant
to applicable provisions of a collective bargaining
agreement, memorandum of understanding, or other written
agreement between the employer and the duly authorized
representative of the employer's employees; or, in
the case of employees not covered by the aforementioned
agreement or memorandum of understanding, pursuant
to a written agreement entered into between the employer
and employee before the performance of the work.
(2) The employee has not accrued compensating time
in excess of the limit prescribed by subdivision (c).
(3) The employee has requested, in writing, compensating
time off in lieu of overtime compensation.
(4) The employee is regularly scheduled to work no
less than 40 hours in a workweek.
(c) (1) An employee may not accrue more than 240 hours
of compensating time off. Any employee who has accrued
240 hours of compensating time off shall, for any
additional overtime hours of work, be paid overtime
compensation.
(2) If compensation is paid to an employee for accrued
compensating time off, the compensation shall be paid
at the regular rate earned by the employee at the
time the employee receives payment.
(d) An employee who has accrued compensating time
off authorized to be provided under subdivision (a)
shall, upon termination of employment, be paid for
the unused compensating time at a rate of compensation
not less than the average regular rate received by
the employee during the last three years of the employee's
employment, or the final regular rate received by
the employee, whichever is higher.
(e) (1) An employee who has accrued compensating time
off authorized to be provided under subdivision (a),
and who has requested the use of that compensating
time, shall be permitted by the employee's employer
to use the time within a reasonable period after making
the request, if the use of the compensating time does
not unduly disrupt the operations of the employer.
(2) Upon the request of an employee, the employer
shall pay overtime compensation in cash in lieu of
compensating time off for any compensating time off
that has accrued for at least two pay periods.
(3) For purposes of determining whether a request
to use compensating time has been granted within a
reasonable period, the following factors shall be
relevant:
(A) The normal schedule of work.
(B) Anticipated peak workloads based on past experience.
(C) Emergency requirements for staff and services.
(D) The availability of qualified substitute staff.
(f) Every employer shall keep records that accurately
reflect compensating time earned and used.
(g) For purposes of this section, the terms "compensating
time" and "compensating time off" mean
hours during which an employee is not working, which
are not counted as hours worked during the applicable
workweek or other work period for purposes of overtime
compensation, and for which the employee is compensated
at the employee's regular rate.
(h) This section shall not apply to any employee exempt
from the overtime provisions of the California wage
orders.
(i) This section shall not apply to any employee who
is subject to the following wage orders of the Industrial
Welfare Commission: Orders No. 8-80, 13-80, and 14-80
(affecting industries handling products after harvest,
industries preparing agricultural products for market
on the farm, and agricultural occupations), Order
No. 3-80
(affecting the canning, freezing, and preserving industry),
Orders No. 5-89 and 10-89 (affecting the public housekeeping
and amusement and recreation industries), and Order
No. 1-89 (affecting the manufacturing industry).
205. In agricultural, viticultural, and horticultural
pursuits, in stock or poultry raising, and in household
domestic service, when the employees in such employments
are boarded and lodged by the employer, the wages
due any employee remaining in such employment shall
become due and payable once in each calendar month
on a day designated in advance by the employer as
the regular payday. No two successive paydays shall
be more than 31 days apart, and the payment shall
include all wages up to the regular payday. Notwithstanding
the provisions of this section, wages of workers employed
by a farm labor contractor shall be paid on payroll
periods at least once every week on a business day
designated in advance by the farm labor contractor.
Payment on such payday shall include all wages earned
up to and including the fourth day before such payday.
205.5. All wages, other than those mentioned in Sections
201 and 202, earned by any agricultural employee,
as defined in Section 1140.4, are due and payable
twice during each calendar month, on days designated
in advance by the agricultural employer as the regular
paydays. Labor performed between the 1st and the 15th
days, inclusive, of any calendar month shall be paid
between the 16th and the 22nd day of the month during
which the labor was performed. Labor performed between
the 16th and the last day, inclusive, of any calendar
month shall be paid between the first and the seventh
day of the following month. Agricultural employees,
as used in this section, shall not include those employees
who are covered by Section 205.
206. (a) In case of a dispute over wages, the employer
shall pay, without condition and within the time set
by this article, all wages, or parts thereof, conceded
by him to be due, leaving to the employee all remedies
he might otherwise be entitled to as to any balance
claimed.
(b) If, after an investigation and hearing, the Labor
Commissioner has determined the validity of any employee's
claim for wages, the claim is due and payable within
10 days after receipt of notice by the employer that
such wages are due. Any employer having the ability
to pay who willfully fails to pay such wages within
10 days shall, in addition to any other applicable
penalty, pay treble the amount of any damages accruing
to the employee as a direct and foreseeable consequence
of such failure to pay.
206.5. No employer shall require the execution of
any release of any claim or right on account of wages
due, or to become due, or made as an advance on wages
to be earned, unless payment of such wages has been
made. Any release required or executed in violation
of the provisions of this section shall be null and
void as between the employer and the employee and
the violation of the provisions of this section shall
be a misdemeanor.
207. Every employer shall keep posted conspicuously
at the place of work, if practicable, or otherwise
where it can be seen as employees come or go to their
places of work, or at the office or nearest agency
for payment kept by the employer, a notice specifying
the regular pay days and the time and place of payment,
in accordance with this article.
208. Every employee who is discharged shall be paid
at the place of discharge, and every employee who
quits shall be paid at the office or agency of the
employer in the county where the employee has been
performing labor. All payments shall be made in the
manner provided by law.
209. In the event of any strike, the unpaid wages
earned by striking employees shall become due and
payable on the next regular pay day, and the payment
or settlement thereof shall include all amounts due
the striking employees without abatement or reduction.
The employer shall return to each striking employee
any deposit, money, or other guaranty required by
him from the employee for the faithful performance
of the duties of the employment.
210. In addition to, and entirely independent and
apart from, any other penalty provided in this article,
every person who fails to pay the wages of each employee
as provided in Sections 204, 204b, 204.1, 204.2, 205,
205.5, and 1197.5, shall be subject to a civil penalty
as follows:
(a) For any initial violation, one hundred dollars
($100) for each failure to pay each employee.
(b) For each subsequent violation, or any willful
or intentional violation, two hundred dollars ($200)
for each failure to pay each employee, plus 25 percent
of the amount unlawfully withheld.
The penalty shall be recovered by the Labor Commissioner
as part of a hearing held to recover unpaid wages
and penalties pursuant to this chapter or in an independent
civil action. The action shall be brought in the name
of the people of the State of California and the Labor
Commissioner and the attorneys thereof may proceed
and act for and on behalf of the people in bringing
these actions. Twelve and one-half percent of the
penalty recovered shall be paid into a fund within
the Labor and Workforce Development Agency dedicated
to educating employers about state labor laws, and
the remainder shall be paid into the State Treasury
to the credit of the General Fund.
211. When action to recover such penalties is brought,
no court costs shall be payable by the state or the
division. Any sheriff or marshal who serves the summons
in the action upon any defendant within his or her
jurisdiction shall do so without cost to the division.
The sheriff or marshal shall specify in the return
what costs he or she would ordinarily have been entitled
to for such service, and those costs and the other
regular court costs that would have accrued were the
action not on behalf of the state shall be made a
part of any judgment recovered by the plaintiff and
shall be paid out of the first money recovered on
the judgment. Several causes of action for the penalties
may be united in the same action without being separately
stated. A demand is a prerequisite to the bringing
of any action under this section or Section 210. The
division on behalf of the state may accept and receipt
for any penalties so paid, with or without suit.
212. (a) No person, or agent or officer thereof,
shall issue in payment of wages due, or to become
due, or as an advance on wages to be earned:
(1) Any order, check, draft, note, memorandum, or
other acknowledgment of indebtedness, unless it is
negotiable and payable in cash, on demand, without
discount, at some established place of business in
the state, the name and address of which must appear
on the instrument, and at the time of its issuance
and for a reasonable time thereafter, which must be
at least 30 days, the maker or drawer has sufficient
funds in, or credit, arrangement, or understanding
with the drawee for its payment.
(2) Any scrip, coupon, cards, or other thing redeemable,
in merchandise or purporting to be payable or redeemable
otherwise than in money.
(b) Where an instrument mentioned in subdivision (a)
is protested or dishonored, the notice or memorandum
of protest or dishonor is admissible as proof of presentation,
nonpayment and protest and is presumptive evidence
of knowledge of insufficiency of funds or credit with
the drawee.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (a),
if the drawee is a bank, the bank's address need not
appear on the instrument and, in that case, the instrument
shall be negotiable and payable in cash, on demand,
without discount, at any place of business of the
drawee chosen by the person entitled to enforce the
instrument.
213. Nothing contained in Section 212 shall:
(a) Prohibit an employer from guaranteeing the payment
of bills incurred by an employee for the necessaries
of life or for the tools and implements used by the
employee in the performance of his duties.
(b) Apply to counties, municipal corporations, quasi
municipal corporations or school districts.
(c) Apply to students of nonprofit schools, colleges,
universities, and other nonprofit educational institutions.
(d) Prohibit an employer from depositing wages due
or to become due or an advance on wages to be earned
in an account in any bank, savings and loan association
or credit union of the employee's choice in this state,
provided the employee has voluntarily authorized such
deposit. If an employer discharges an employee or
the employee quits such voluntary authorization for
deposit shall be deemed terminated and the provisions
of this article relating to payment of wages upon
termination of employment shall apply.
214. Prosecution under section 212 may be brought
either at the place where the alleged illegal order,
check, draft, note, memorandum or other acknowledgment
of wage indebtedness is issued or at the place where
it is made payable.
215. Any person, or the agent, manager, superintendent
or officer thereof, who violates any provision of
Sections 204, 204b, 205, 207, 208, 209, or 212 is
guilty of a misdemeanor. Any failure to keep posted
any notice required by Section 207 is prima facie
evidence of a violation of such sections.
216. In addition to any other penalty imposed by
this article, any person, or an agent, manager, superintendent,
or officer thereof is guilty of a misdemeanor, who:
(a) Having the ability to pay, willfully refuses to
pay wages due and payable after demand has been made.
(b) Falsely denies the amount or validity thereof,
or that the same is due, with intent to secure for
himself, his employer or other person, any discount
upon such indebtedness, or with intent to annoy, harass,
oppress, hinder, delay, or defraud, the person to
whom such indebtedness is due.
217. The Division of Labor Law Enforcement shall
inquire diligently for any violations of this article,
and, in cases which it deems proper, shall institute
the actions for the penalties provided for in this
article and shall enforce this article.
218. Nothing in this article shall limit the authority
of the district attorney of any county or prosecuting
attorney of any city to prosecute actions, either
civil or criminal, for violations of this article
or to enforce the provisions thereof independently
and without specific direction of the division. Nothing
in this article shall limit the right of any wage
claimant to sue directly or through an assignee for
any wages or penalty due him under this article.
218.5. In any action brought for the nonpayment of
wages, fringe benefits, or health and welfare or pension
fund contributions, the court shall award reasonable
attorney's fees and costs to the prevailing party
if any party to the action requests attorney's fees
and costs upon the initiation of the action. This
section shall not apply to an action brought by the
Labor Commissioner. This section shall not apply to
a surety issuing a bond pursuant to Chapter 9
(commencing with Section 7000) of Division 3 of the
Business and Professions Code or to an action to enforce
a mechanics lien brought under Chapter 2 (commencing
with Section 3109) of Title 15 of Part 4 of Division
3 of the Civil Code.
This section does not apply to any action for which
attorney's fees are recoverable under Section 1194.
218.6. In any action brought for the nonpayment of
wages, the court shall award interest on all due and
unpaid wages at the rate of interest specified in
subdivision (b) of Section 3289 of the Civil Code,
which shall accrue from the date that the wages were
due and payable as provided in Part 1 (commencing
with Section 200) of
Division 2.
219. (a) Nothing in this article shall in any way
limit or prohibit the payment of wages at more frequent
intervals, or in greater amounts, or in full when
or before due, but no provision of this article can
in any way be contravened or set aside by a private
agreement, whether written, oral, or implied.
(b) The state employer does not violate this section
by authorizing employees who quit, or are discharged
from, their employment with the state to take payment
for any unused or accumulated vacation, annual leave,
holiday leave, sick leave to which the employee is
otherwise entitled due to a disability retirement,
or time off to which the employee is entitled by reason
of previous overtime work where compensating time
off was given by the appointing power, as provided
in Section 201 or 202.
220. (a) Sections 201.5, 201.7, 203.1, 203.5, 204,
204a, 204b, 204c, 204.1, 205, and 205.5 do not apply
to the payment of wages of employees directly employed
by the State of California. Except as provided in
subdivision (b), all other employment is subject to
these provisions.
(b) Sections 200 to 211, inclusive, and Sections 215
to 219, inclusive, do not apply to the payment of
wages of employees directly employed by any county,
incorporated city, or town or other municipal corporation.
All other employments are subject to these provisions.
220.2. Contributions to vacation allowances, pension
or retirement funds, sick leave, and health and welfare
benefits on behalf of persons employed by any county,
political subdivision, incorporated city or town or
other municipal corporations may be made in the same
manner and on the same basis as made by private employers.
Payments made by the employing agency to any such
fund on behalf of any employee shall be in lieu of
benefits such as vacation allowance, pension or retirement
fund, sick leave, and health and welfare benefits
which are now or may hereafter be granted directly
by the employing agency in accordance with law.
This section shall only apply to nonpermanent laborers,
workmen, and mechanics employed on an hourly or per
diem basis.
The employing agency is empowered to determine the
equitable application of this section to insure that
the employees receive benefits comparable to, but
not in excess of those provided in comparable private
employment.
The employing agency shall make payments only to plans,
which meet the following standards:
1. A plan office is located within the State of California.
2. Any fund connected with the plan is required to
be audited at least annually by an independent, licensed
certified public accountant.
3. Each trustee or administrator of the fund or plan
authorized to receive, handle, deal with or draw upon
the assets of the fund or plan is required to be bonded.
221. It shall be unlawful for any employer to collect
or receive from an employee any part of wages theretofore
paid by said employer to said employee.
222. It shall be unlawful, in case of any wage agreement
arrived at through collective bargaining, either willfully
or unlawfully or with intent to defraud an employee,
a competitor, or any other person, to withhold from
said employee any part of the wage agreed upon.
222.5. No person shall withhold or deduct from the
compensation of any employee, or require any prospective
employee or applicant for employment to pay, any fee
for, or cost of, any pre-employment medical or physical
examination taken as a condition of employment, nor
shall any person withhold or deduct from the compensation
of any employee, or require any employee to pay any
fee for, or costs of, medical or physical examinations
required by any law or regulation of federal, state
or local governments or agencies thereof.
223. Where any statute or contract requires an employer
to maintain the designated wage scale, it shall be
unlawful to secretly pay a lower wage while purporting
to pay the wage designated by statute or by contract.
224. The provisions of Sections 221, 222 and 223
shall in no way make it unlawful for an employer to
withhold or divert any portion of an employee's wages
when the employer is required or empowered so to do
by state or federal law or when a deduction is expressly
authorized in writing by the employee to cover insurance
premiums, hospital or medical dues, or other deductions
not amounting to a rebate or deduction from the standard
wage arrived at by collective bargaining or pursuant
to wage agreement or statute, or when a deduction
to cover health and welfare or pension plan contributions
is expressly authorized by a collective bargaining
or wage agreement.
Nothing in this section or any other provision of
law shall be construed as authorizing an employer
to withhold or divert any portion of an employee's
wages to pay any tax, fee or charge prohibited by
Section 50026 of the Government Code, whether or not
the employee authorizes such withholding or diversion.
225. The violation of any provision of Sections 221,
222, 222.5, or 223 is a misdemeanor.
225.5. In addition to, and entirely independent and
apart from, any other penalty provided in this article,
every person who unlawfully withholds wages due any
employee in violation of Section 212, 216, 221, 222,
or 223 shall be subject to a civil penalty as follows:
(a) For any initial violation, one hundred dollars
($100) for each failure to pay each employee.
(b) For each subsequent violation, or any willful
or intentional violation, two hundred dollars ($200)
for each failure to pay each employee, plus 25 percent
of the amount unlawfully withheld.
The penalty shall be recovered by the Labor Commissioner
as part of a hearing held to recover unpaid wages
and penalties or in an independent civil action. The
action shall be brought in the name of the people
of the State of California and the Labor Commissioner
and attorneys thereof may proceed and act for and
on behalf of the people in bringing the action. Twelve
and one-half percent of the penalty recovered shall
be paid into a fund within the Labor and Workforce
Development Agency dedicated to educating employers
about state labor laws, and the remainder shall be
paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the
General Fund.
226. (a) Every employer shall, semimonthly or at
the time of each payment of wages, furnish each of
his or her employees, either as a detachable part
of the check, draft, or voucher paying the employee's
wages, or separately when wages are paid by personal
check or cash, an accurate itemized statement in writing
showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked
by the employee, except for any employee whose compensation
is solely based on a salary and who is exempt from
payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of Section
515 or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare
Commission, (3) the number of piece-rate units earned
and any applicable piece rate if the employee is paid
on a piece-rate basis, (4) all deductions, provided
that all deductions made on written orders of the
employee may be aggregated and shown as one item,
(5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the
period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name
of the employee and his or her social security number,
except that by January 1, 2008, only the last four
digits of his or her social security number or an
existing employee identification number other than
a social security number may be shown on the check,
(8) the name and address of the legal entity that
is the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates
in effect during the pay period and the corresponding
number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the
employee. The deductions made from payments of wages
shall be recorded in ink or other indelible form,
properly dated, showing the month, day, and year,
and a copy of the statement or a record of the deductions
shall be kept on file by the employer for at least
three years at the place of employment or at a central
location within the State of California.
(b) An employer that is required by this code or any
regulation adopted pursuant to this code to keep the
information required by subdivision (a) shall afford
current and former employees the right to inspect
or copy the records pertaining to that current or
former employee, upon reasonable request to the employer.
The employer may take reasonable steps to assure the
identity of a current or former employee. If the employer
provides copies of the records, the actual cost of
reproduction may be charged to the current or former
employee.
(c) An employer who receives a written or oral request
to inspect or copy records pursuant to subdivision
(b) pertaining to a current or former employee shall
comply with the request as soon as practicable, but
no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the
request. A violation of this subdivision is an infraction.
Impossibility of performance, not caused by or a result
of a violation of law, shall be an affirmative defense
for an employer in any action alleging a violation
of this subdivision. An employer may designate the
person to whom a request under this subdivision will
be made.
(d) This section does not apply to any employer of
any person employed by the owner or occupant of a
residential dwelling whose duties are incidental to
the ownership, maintenance, or use of the dwelling,
including the care and supervision of children, or
whose duties are personal and not in the course of
the trade, business, profession, or occupation of
the owner or occupant.
(e) An employee suffering injury as a result of a
knowing and intentional failure by an employer to
comply with subdivision (a) is entitled to recover
the greater of all actual damages or fifty dollars
($50) for the initial pay period in which a violation
occurs and one hundred dollars ($100) per employee
for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not
exceeding an aggregate penalty of four thousand dollars
($4,000), and is entitled to an award of costs and
reasonable attorney's fees.
(f) A failure by an employer to permit a current or
former employee to inspect or copy records within
the time set forth in subdivision (c) entitles the
current or former employee or the Labor Commissioner
to recover a seven hundred fifty dollar ($750) penalty
from the employer.
(g) An employee may also bring an action for injunctive
relief to ensure compliance with this section, and
is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorney's
fees.
(h) This section does not apply to the state, to any
city, county, city and county, district, or to any
other governmental entity, except that if the state
or a city, county, city and county, district, or other
governmental entity furnishes its employees with a
check, draft, or voucher paying the employee's wages,
the state or a city, county, city and county, district,
or other governmental entity shall, by January 1,
2008, use no more than the last four
digits of the employee's social security number or
shall use an existing employee identification number
other than the social security number on that check,
draft, or voucher.
226.3. Any employer who violates subdivision (a)
of Section 226 shall be subject to a civil penalty
in the amount of two hundred fifty dollars ($250)
per employee per violation in an initial citation
and one thousand dollars ($1,000) per employee for
each violation in a subsequent citation, for which
the employer fails to provide the employee a wage
deduction statement or fails to keep the records required
in subdivision (a) of Section 226. The civil penalties
provided for in this section are in addition to any
other penalty provided by law. In enforcing this section,
the Labor
Commissioner shall take into consideration whether
the violation was inadvertent, and in his or her discretion,
may decide not to penalize an employer for a first
violation when that violation was due to a clerical
error or inadvertent mistake.
226.4. If, upon inspection or investigation, the
Labor Commissioner determines that an employer is
in violation of subdivision (a) of Section 226, the
Labor Commissioner may issue a citation to the person
in violation. The citation may be served personally
or by registered mail in accordance with subdivision
(c) of Section 11505 of the Government Code. Each
citation shall be in writing and shall describe the
nature of the violation, including reference to the
statuory provision alleged to have been violated.
226.5. (a) If a person desires to contest a citation
or the proposed assessment of a civil penalty therefore,
he or she shall within 15 business days after service
of the citation notify the office of the Labor Commissioner
which appears on the citation of his or her request
for an informal hearing. The Labor Commissioner or
his or her deputy or agent shall, within 30 days,
hold a hearing at the conclusion of which the citation
or proposed assessment of a civil penalty shall be
affirmed, modified, or dismissed. The decision of
the Labor Commissioner shall consist of a notice of
findings, findings, and order which shall be served
on all parties to the hearing within 15 days after
the hearing by regular first-class mail at the last
known address of the party on file with the Labor
Commissioner. Service shall be completed pursuant
to Section 1013 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Any
amount found due by the Labor Commissioner as a result
of a hearing shall become due and payable 45 days
after notice of the findings and written findings
and order have been mailed to the party assessed.
A writ of mandate may be taken from this finding to
the appropriate superior court, as long as the party
agrees to pay any judgment and costs ultimately rendered
by the court against the party for the assessment.
The writ shall be taken within 45 days of service
of the notice of findings, findings, and order thereon.
(b) A person to whom a citation has been issued shall,
in lieu of contesting a citation pursuant to this
section, transmit to the office of the Labor Commissioner
designated on the citation the amount specified for
the violation within 15 business days after issuance
of the citation.
(c) When no petition objecting to a citation or the
proposed assessment of a civil penalty is filed, a
certified copy of the citation or proposed civil penalty
may be filed by the Labor Commissioner in the office
of the clerk or the superior court in any county in
which the person assessed has or had a place of business.
The clerk, immediately upon the filing, shall enter
judgment for the state against the person assessed
in the amount shown on the citation
or proposed assessment of a civil penalty.
(d) When findings and the order thereon are made affirming
or modifying a citation or proposed assessment of
a civil penalty after hearing, a certified copy of
these findings and the order entered thereon may be
entered by the Labor Commissioner in the office of
the clerk of the superior court in any county in which
the person assessed has property or in which the person
assessed has or had a place of business. The clerk,
immediately upon the filing, shall enter judgment
for the state against the person assessed in the amount
shown on the certified order.
(e) A judgment entered pursuant to this section shall
bear the same rate of interest and shall have the
same effect as other judgments and be given the same
preference allowed by the law on other judgments rendered
for claims for taxes. The clerk shall make no charge
for the service provided by this section to be performed
by him or her.
226.6. Any employer who knowingly and intentionally
violates the provisions of Section 226 or 226.2, or
any officer, agent, employee, fiduciary, or other
person who has the control, receipt, custody, or disposal
of, or pays, the wages due any employee, and who knowingly
and intentionally participates or aids in the violation
of any provision of Section 226 or 226.2 is guilty
of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall
be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000)
or be imprisoned not to exceed one year, or both,
at the discretion of the court. That fine or imprisonment,
or both, shall be in addition to any other penalty
provided by law.
226.7. (a) No employer shall require any employee
to work during any meal or rest period mandated by
an applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(b) If an employer fails to provide an employee a
meal period or rest period in accordance with an applicable
order of the Industrial Welfare Commission, the employer
shall pay the employee one additional hour of pay
at the employee's regular rate of compensation for
each work day that the meal or rest period is not
provided.
227. Whenever an employer has agreed with any employee
to make payments to a health or welfare fund, pension
fund or vacation plan, or other such plan for the
benefit of the employees, or a negotiated industrial
promotion fund, or has entered into a collective bargaining
agreement providing for such payments, it shall be
unlawful for such an employer willfully or with intent
to defraud to fail to make the payments required by
the terms of any such agreement. A violation of any
provision of this section where the amount the employer
failed to pay into the fund or funds exceeds five
hundred dollars ($500) shall be punishable by imprisonment
in the state prison for a period of not more than
five years or in the county jail for a period of not
more than one year, by a fine of not more than one
thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both such imprisonment
and fine. All other violations shall be punishable
as a misdemeanor.
227.3. Unless otherwise provided by a collective-bargaining
agreement, whenever a contract of employment or employer
policy provides for paid vacations, and an employee
is terminated without having taken off his vested
vacation time, all vested vacation shall be paid to
him as wages at his final rate in accordance with
such contract of employment or employer policy respecting
eligibility or time served; provided, however, that
an employment contract or employer policy shall not
provide for forfeiture of vested vacation time upon
termination. The Labor Commissioner or a designated
representative, in the resolution of any dispute with
regard to vested vacation time, shall apply the principles
of equity and fairness.
227.5. Whenever an employer has agreed with any employee
to make payments to a health or welfare fund, pension
fund or vacation plan, or such other plan for the
benefit of the employee, or has entered into a collective
bargaining agreement providing for such payments,
the employer upon written request of the employee
shall furnish such employee annually a statement indicating
whether or not such payments have been made and for
what periods.
228. The payments under Section 227 of this code
shall be deemed to include payments to apprenticeship
funds.
This amendment is hereby declared to be merely a clarification
of the original intention of the Legislature and is
not a substantive change.
229. Actions to enforce the provisions of this article
for the collection of due and unpaid wages claimed
by an individual may be maintained without regard
to the existence of any private agreement to arbitrate.
This section shall not apply to claims involving any
dispute concerning the interpretation or application
of any collective bargaining agreement containing
such an arbitration agreement.
230. (a) An employer may not discharge or in any
manner discriminate against an employee for taking
time off to serve as required by law on an inquest
jury or trial jury, if the employee, prior to taking
the time off, gives reasonable notice to the employer
that he or she is required to serve.
(b) An employer may not discharge or in any manner
discriminate or retaliate against an employee, including,
but not limited to, an employee who is a victim of
a crime, for taking time off to appear in court to
comply with a subpoena or other court order as a witness
in any judicial proceeding.
(c) An employer may not discharge or in any manner
discriminate or retaliate against an employee who
is a victim of domestic violence or a victim of sexual
assault for taking time off from work to obtain or
attempt to obtain any relief, including, but not limited
to, a temporary restraining order, restraining order,
or other injunctive relief, to help ensure the health,
safety, or welfare of the victim or his or her child.
(d) (1) As a condition of taking time off for a purpose
set forth in subdivision (c), the employee shall give
the employer reasonable advance notice of the employee's
intention to take time off, unless the advance notice
is not feasible.
(2) When an unscheduled absence occurs, the employer
shall not take any action against the employee if
the employee, within a reasonable time after the absence,
provides a certification to the employer. Certification
shall be sufficient in the form of any of the following:
(A) A police report indicating that the employee was
a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault.
(B) A court order protecting or separating the employee
from the perpetrator of an act of domestic violence
or sexual assault, or other evidence from the court
or prosecuting attorney that the employee has appeared
in court.
(C) Documentation from a medical professional, domestic
violence advocate or advocate for victims of sexual
assault, health care provider, or counselor that the
employee was undergoing treatment for physical or
mental injuries or abuse resulting in victimization
from an act of domestic violence or sexual assault.
(3) To the extent allowed by law, the employer shall
maintain the confidentiality of any employee requesting
leave under subdivision
(c).
(e) Any employee who is discharged, threatened with
discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other manner
discriminated or retaliated against in the terms and
conditions of employment by his or her employer because
the employee has taken time off for a purpose set
forth in subdivision (a), (b), or (c) shall be entitled
to reinstatement and reimbursement for lost wages
and work benefits caused by the acts of the employer.
Any employer who willfully refuses to rehire, promote,
or otherwise restore an employee or former employee
who has been determined to be eligible for rehiring
or promotion by a grievance procedure or hearing authorized
by law is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(f) (1) Any employee who is discharged, threatened
with discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other
manner discriminated or retaliated against in the
terms and conditions of employment by his or her employer
because the employee has exercised his or her rights
as set forth in subdivision (a), (b), or (c) may file
a complaint with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement
of the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant
to Section 98.7.
(2) Notwithstanding any time limitation in Section
98.7, an employee filing a complaint with the division
based upon a violation of subdivision (c) shall have
one year from the date of occurrence of the violation
to file his or her complaint.
(g) An employee may use vacation, personal leave,
or compensatory time off that is otherwise available
to the employee under the applicable terms of employment,
unless otherwise provided by a collective bargaining
agreement, for time taken off for a purpose specified
in subdivision (a), (b), or (c). The entitlement of
any employee under this section shall not be diminished
by any collective bargaining agreement term or condition.
(h) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Domestic violence" means any of the
types of abuse set forth in Section 6211 of the Family
Code, as amended.
(2) "Sexual assault" means any of the crimes
set forth in Section 261, 261.5, 262, 265, 266, 266a,
266b, 266c, 266g, 266j, 267, 269, 273.4, 285, 286,
288, 288a, 288.5, 289, or 311.4 of the Penal Code,
as amended.
230.1. (a) In addition to the requirements and prohibitions
imposed on employees pursuant to Section 230, an employer
with 25 or more employees may not discharge or in
any manner discriminate or retaliate against an employee
who is a victim of domestic violence or a victim of
sexual assault for taking time off from work to attend
to any of the following:
(1) To seek medical attention for injuries caused
by domestic violence or sexual assault.
(2) To obtain services from a domestic violence shelter,
program, or rape crisis center as a result of domestic
violence or sexual assault.
(3) To obtain psychological counseling related to
an experience of domestic violence or sexual assault.
(4) To participate in safety planning and take other
actions to increase safety from future domestic violence
or sexual assault, including temporary or permanent
relocation.
(b) (1) As a condition of taking time off for a purpose
set forth in subdivision (a), the employee shall give
the employer reasonable advance notice of the employee's
intention to take time off, unless the advance notice
is not feasible.
(2) When an unscheduled absence occurs, the employer
may not take any action against the employee if the
employee, within a reasonable time after the absence,
provides a certification to the employer. Certification
shall be sufficient in the form of any of the following:
(A) A police report indicating that the employee was
a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault.
(B) A court order protecting or separating the employee
from the perpetrator of an act of domestic violence
or sexual assault, or other evidence from the court
or prosecuting attorney that the employee appeared
in court.
(C) Documentation from a medical professional, domestic
violence advocate or advocate for victims of sexual
assault, health care provider, or counselor that the
employee was undergoing treatment for physical or
mental injuries or abuse resulting in victimization
from an act of domestic violence or sexual assault.
(3) To the extent allowed by law, employers shall
maintain the confidentiality of any employee requesting
leave under subdivision
(a).
(c) Any employee who is discharged, threatened with
discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other manner
discriminated or retaliated against in the terms and
conditions of employment by his or her employer because
the employee has taken time off for a purpose set
forth in subdivision (a) is entitled to reinstatement
and reimbursement for lost wages and work benefits
caused by the acts of the employer. Any employer who
willfully refuses to rehire, promote, or otherwise
restore an employee or former employee who has been
determined to be eligible for rehiring or promotion
by a grievance procedure or hearing authorized by
law is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(d) (1) Any employee who is discharged, threatened
with discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other
manner discriminated or retaliated against in the
terms and conditions of employment by his or her employer
because the employee has exercised his or her rights
as set forth in subdivision (a) may file a complaint
with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement of
the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to
Section 98.7.
(2) Notwithstanding any time limitation in Section
98.7, an employee filing a complaint with the division
based upon a violation of subdivision (a) has one
year from the date of occurrence of the violation
to file his or her complaint.
(e) An employee may use vacation, personal leave,
or compensatory time off that is otherwise available
to the employee under the applicable terms of employment,
unless otherwise provided by a collective bargaining
agreement, for time taken off for a purpose specified
in subdivision (a). The entitlement of any employee
under this section may not be diminished by any collective
bargaining agreement term or condition.
(f) This section does not create a right for an employee
to take unpaid leave that exceeds the unpaid leave
time allowed under, or is in addition to the unpaid
leave time permitted by, the federal Family and Medical
Leave Act of 1993 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 2601 et seq.).
(g) For purposes of this section:
(1) "Domestic violence" means any of the
types of abuse set forth in Section 6211 of the Family
Code, as amended.
(2) "Sexual assault" means any of the crimes
set forth in Section 261, 261.5, 262, 265, 266, 266a,
266b, 266c, 266g, 266j, 267, 269, 273.4, 285, 286,
288, 288a, 288.5, 289, or 311.4 of the Penal Code,
as amended.
230.2. (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Immediate family member" means spouse,
child, stepchild, brother, stepbrother, sister, stepsister,
mother, stepmother, father, or stepfather.
(2) "Registered domestic partner" means
a domestic partner, as defined in Section 297 of the
Family Code, and registered pursuant to Part 2 (commencing
with Section 298) of Division 2.5 of the Family Code.
(3) "Victim" means a person against whom
one of the following crimes has been committed:
(A) A violent felony, as defined in subdivision (c)
of Section 667.5 of the Penal Code.
(B) A serious felony, as defined in subdivision (c)
of Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code.
(C) A felony provision of law proscribing theft or
embezzlement.
(b) An employer, and any agent of an employer, shall
allow an employee who is a victim of a crime, an immediate
family member of a victim, a registered domestic partner
of a victim, or the child of a registered domestic
partner of a victim to be absent from work in order
to attend judicial proceedings related to that crime.
(c) Before an employee may be absent from work pursuant
to subdivision (b), the employee shall give the employer
a copy of the notice of each scheduled proceeding
that is provided to the victim by the agency responsible
for providing notice, unless advance notice is not
feasible. When advance notice is not feasible or an
unscheduled absence occurs, the employer shall not
take any action against the employee if the employee,
within a reasonable time after the absence, provides
the employer with documentation evidencing the judicial
proceeding from any of the following entities:
(1) The court or government agency setting the hearing.
(2) The district attorney or prosecuting attorney's
office.
(3) The victim/witness office that is advocating on
behalf of the victim.
(d) An employee who is absent from work pursuant to
subdivision
(b) may elect to use the employee's accrued paid vacation
time, personal leave time, sick leave time, compensatory
time off that is otherwise available to the employee,
or unpaid leave time, unless otherwise provided by
a collective bargaining agreement, for an absence
pursuant to subdivision (b). The entitlement of any
employee under this section shall not be diminished
by any collective bargaining agreement term or condition.
(e) An employer shall keep confidential any records
regarding the employee's absence from work pursuant
to subdivision (b).
(f) An employer may not discharge from employment
or in any manner discriminate against an employee,
in compensation or other terms, conditions, or privileges
of employment, including, but not limited to the loss
of seniority or precedence, because the employee is
absent from work pursuant to this section.
(g) (1) Any employee who is discharged, threatened
with discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other
manner discriminated or retaliated against in the
terms and conditions of employment by his or her employer
because the employee has exercised his or her rights
as set forth in subdivision (b) may file a complaint
with the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement of
the Department of Industrial Relations pursuant to
Section 98.7.
(2) Notwithstanding any time limitation in Section
98.7, an employee filing a complaint with the division
based upon a violation of subdivision (b) shall have
one year from the date of occurrence of the violation
to file his or her complaint.
(h) District attorney and victim/witness offices are
encouraged to make information regarding this section
available for distribution at their offices.
230.3. (a) No employer shall discharge or in any
manner discriminate against an employee for taking
time off to perform emergency duty as a volunteer
firefighter, a reserve peace officer, or emergency
rescue personnel.
(b) Any employee who is discharged, threatened with
discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other manner
discriminated against in the terms and conditions
of employment by his or her employer because the employee
has taken time off to perform emergency duty as a
volunteer firefighter, a reserve peace officer, or
emergency rescue personnel shall be entitled to reinstatement
and reimbursement for lost wages and work benefits
caused by the acts of the employer. Any employer who
willfully refuses to rehire, promote, or otherwise
restore an employee or former employee who has been
determined to be eligible for rehiring or promotion
by a grievance procedure, arbitration, or hearing
authorized by law, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) Subdivisions (a) and (b) of this section shall
not apply to any public safety agency or provider
of emergency medical services when, as determined
by the employer, the employee's absence would hinder
the availability of public safety or emergency medical
services.
(d) (1) For purposes of this section, "volunteer
firefighter" shall have the same meaning as the
term "volunteer" in subdivision (m) of Section
50952 of the Government Code.
(2) For purposes of this section, "emergency
rescue personnel" means any person who is an
officer, employee, or member of a fire department
or fire protection or firefighting agency of the federal
government, the State of California, a city, county,
city and county, district, or other public or municipal
corporation or political subdivision of this state,
or of a sheriff's department, police department, or
a private fire department, whether that person is
a volunteer or partly paid or fully paid, while he
or she is actually engaged in providing emergency
services as defined by subdivision (e) of Section
1799.107 of the Health and Safety Code.
230.4. (a) An employee who is a volunteer firefighter,
and works for an employer employing 50 or more employees,
shall be permitted to take temporary leaves of absence,
not to exceed an aggregate of 14 days per calendar
year, for the purpose of engaging in fire or law enforcement
training.
(b) An employee who works for an employer employing
50 or more employees who is discharged, threatened
with discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other
manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions
of employment by his or her employer because the employee
has taken time off to engage in fire or law enforcement
training as provided in subdivision (a), is entitled
to reinstatement and reimbursement for lost wages
and work benefits caused by the acts of the employer.
(c) An employee seeking reinstatement and reimbursement
pursuant to this section may file a complaint with
the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement in accordance
with Section 98.7, and upon receipt of such a complaint,
the Labor Commissioner shall proceed as provided in
that section.
230.7. (a) No employer shall discharge or in any
manner discriminate against an employee who is the
parent or guardian of a pupil for taking time off
to appear in the school of a pupil pursuant to a request
made under Section 48900.1 of the Education Code,
if the employee, prior to taking the time off, gives
reasonable notice to the employer that he or she is
requested to appear in the school.
(b) Any employee who is discharged, threatened with
discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other manner
discriminated against in the terms and conditions
of employment by his or her employer because the employee
has taken time off to appear in the school of a pupil
pursuant to a request made under Section 48900.1 of
the Education
Code shall be entitled to reinstatement and reimbursement
for lost wages and work benefits caused by those acts
of the employer.
230.8. (a) (1) No employer who employs 25 or more
employees working at the same location shall discharge
or in any way discriminate against an employee who
is a parent, guardian, or grandparent having custody,
of one or more children in kindergarten or grades
1 to 12, inclusive, or attending a licensed child
day care facility, for taking off up to 40 hours each
year, not exceeding eight hours in any calendar month
of the year, to participate in activities of the school
or licensed child day care facility of any of his
or her children, if the employee, prior to taking
the time off, gives reasonable notice to the employer
of the planned absence of the employee.
(2) If both parents of a child are employed by the
same employer at the same worksite, the entitlement
under paragraph (1) of a planned absence as to that
child applies, at any one time, only to the parent
who first gives notice to the employer, such that
the other parent may take a planned absence simultaneously
as to that same child under the conditions described
in paragraph (1) only if he or she obtains the employer's
approval for the requested time off.
(b) (1) The employee shall utilize existing vacation,
personal leave, or compensatory time off for purposes
of the planned absence authorized by this section,
unless otherwise provided by a collective bargaining
agreement entered into before January 1, 1995, and
in effect on that date. An employee also may utilize
time off without pay for this purpose, to the extent
made available by his or her employer. The entitlement
of any employee under this section shall not be diminished
by any collective bargaining agreement term or condition
that is agreed to on or after January 1, 1995.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in the event that
all permanent, full-time employees of an employer
are accorded vacation during the same period of time
in the calendar year, an employee of that employer
may not utilize that accrued vacation benefit at any
other time for purposes of the planned absence authorized
by this section.
(c) The employee, if requested by the employer, shall
provide documentation from the school or licensed
child day care facility as proof that he or she participated
in school or licensed child day care facility activities
on a specific date and at a particular time.
For purposes of this subdivision, "documentation"
means whatever written verification of parental participation
the school or licensed child day care facility deems
appropriate and reasonable.
(d) Any employee who is discharged, threatened with
discharge, demoted, suspended, or in any other manner
discriminated against in terms and conditions of employment
by his or her employer because the employee has taken
time off to participate in school or licensed child
day care facility activities as described in this
section shall be entitled to reinstatement and reimbursement
for lost wages and work benefits caused by the acts
of the employer. Any employer who willfully refuses
to rehire, promote, or otherwise restore an employee
or former employee who has been determined to be eligible
for rehiring or promotion by a grievance procedure,
arbitration, or hearing authorized by law shall be
subject to a civil penalty in an amount equal to three
times the amount of the employee's lost wages and
work benefits.
231. Any employer who requires, as a condition of
employment, that an employee have a driver's license
shall pay the cost of any physical examination of
the employee which may be required for issuance of
such license, except where the physical examination
was taken prior to the time the employee applied for
such employment with the employer.
232. No employer may do any of the following:
(a) Require, as a condition of employment, that an
employee refrain from disclosing the amount of his
or her wages.
(b) Require an employee to sign a waiver or other
document that purports to deny the employee the right
to disclose the amount of his or her wages.
(c) Discharge, formally discipline, or otherwise discriminate
against an employee who discloses the amount of his
or her wages.
232.5. No employer may do any of the following:
(a) Require, as a condition of employment, that an
employee refrain from disclosing information about
the employer's working conditions.
(b) Require an employee to sign a waiver or other
document that purports to deny the employee the right
to disclose information about the employer's working
conditions.
(c) Discharge, formally discipline, or otherwise discriminate
against an employee who discloses information about
the employer's working conditions.
(d) This section is not intended to permit an employee
to disclose proprietary information, trade secret
information, or information that is otherwise subject
to a legal privilege without the consent of his or
her employer.
233. (a) Any employer who provides sick leave for
employees shall permit an employee to use in any calendar
year the employee's accrued and available sick leave
entitlement, in an amount n |