If you’re dealing with unpaid wages or benefits, you’re likely facing more than just financial stress. Missed pay can lead to overdue bills, rent issues, and mounting debt. Like many people, you may rely on each paycheck, and even a short delay can cause serious hardship.
Your employer may ignore complaints, deny wrongdoing, or claim you misunderstood the arrangement. The fact is, willfully denying you the pay or benefits you’ve earned is illegal in California. Our unpaid wage lawyers in San Diego can help you get what you’re owed.
Our legal team at Omega Law Group Accident & Injury Attorneys has decades of experience between us. Our San Diego employment lawyers will hold your employer accountable for your unpaid wages and other missing benefits. Call today for a free consultation and get started.
Do You Have an Unpaid Wage Case?
California law requires employers to pay you on regular paydays. If you quit or get fired, they must pay your final wages quickly, often the same day or within 72 hours. If they delay, you may be owed additional daily penalties for up to 30 days.
If you’re owed wages, overtime, or other earned pay, you have the right to take legal action. You can recover the full amount owed, plus interest, legal fees, and other costs. Even without wage law violations, unpaid wages may still be enforceable under contract law.
Employers who violate wage laws may face financial penalties. In serious cases, their actions may qualify as wage theft, which is a criminal offense. Our unpaid wage attorneys in San Diego can review your case and fight for your rights.
Common Employer Violations
Wage and employment violations are about more than just your hourly earnings. Some of the most common types of wage disputes in San Diego include:
- Failure to Pay Wages: If you worked the hours, your employer must pay you. Holding back regular wages, final paychecks, or commissions without cause may qualify as wage theft.
- Underpaying Wages: You have the right to earn at least the state or local minimum wage. Paying less, no matter the reason, is a violation of labor law.
- Violations of Overtime Laws: Employers must pay time-and-a-half for overtime. If you work over 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week and don’t get extra pay, our overtime violation lawyers in San Diego can help.
- Misclassification of Employees: Employers sometimes label workers as contractors to avoid paying benefits or wages. If you’re treated like an employee, you may be misclassified and owed compensation.
- Failure to Provide Breaks: California law requires meal and rest breaks during shifts. If your employer denies or shortens these breaks, you may be entitled to additional pay.
- Improper Deductions: Employers can’t deduct money from your paycheck for losses, damages, or uniforms unless allowed by law.
(310) 526-8383How Our Unpaid Wage Lawyers Can Help
It’s natural to feel powerless when your employer has so much control over your finances and your life, but you don’t have to put up with unjust treatment.
Our San Diego unpaid wage lawyers are here to fight for you. Some of the things we can do to support your case include:
Review Your Case and Identify Violations
Our team can look at your pay records, job duties, and communications to figure out exactly what laws your employer may have broken. We will explain your legal rights and what you’re entitled to recover.
Gather and Organize Evidence
We will build a strong claim by organizing timecards, pay stubs, emails, and any other documents. We know what evidence holds up in wage cases and can help fill in any gaps if records are incomplete or missing.
Demand Payment and Negotiate on Your Behalf
Sometimes a formal demand letter from a law firm gets results. Our attorneys can contact your employer directly, explain the law, and ask for full payment. Employers are more likely to take these demands seriously when they know legal action could follow.
File Claims or Lawsuits
If your employer refuses to pay, we can file a wage claim with the California Labor Commissioner’s Office or take the case to court. We’ll handle deadlines, paperwork, and legal arguments on your behalf. You don’t have to go through it alone.
Maximize Your Recovery
Wage cases often involve more than just unpaid hours. You may be entitled to interest, penalties, attorneys’ fees, or damages. We’ll know what additional amounts are available and work to get you the full compensation the law allows.
Protect You From Retaliation
It’s illegal for your employer to retaliate against you for speaking up. If you’ve been fired, demoted, or treated unfairly after asking for your wages, an attorney can help you file a retaliation claim.
Get Help From Our Unpaid Wage Attorneys in San Diego
If your employer knowingly withheld wages, it’s more than just an inconvenience. They may be violating your rights and the law. In some cases, their actions might qualify as criminal wage theft. This can lead to felony charges under California law.
While not every case rises to this level, our unpaid wage attorneys in San Diego can help determine the most effective course of action, including filing a lawsuit if necessary. We can help you recover compensation for unpaid wages, overtime, missed breaks, or even final paychecks.
Omega Law Group has helped California citizens recover millions in awards and settlements. Let our family take care of your family. Call today for a free consultation.
