{"id":1254,"date":"2019-03-08T12:01:42","date_gmt":"2019-03-08T20:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/?p=1254"},"modified":"2019-06-16T22:22:15","modified_gmt":"2019-06-17T05:22:15","slug":"when-should-you-call-a-los-angeles-labor-lawyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/articles\/when-should-you-call-a-los-angeles-labor-lawyer\/","title":{"rendered":"When Should You Call a Los Angeles Labor Lawyer?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re like many people, you could benefit from talking to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/\">Los Angeles labor lawyer<\/a> \u2013 but if you\u2019re like most people, you don\u2019t really know when to call, whether your employer has violated your rights, or what would happen if you talked to an attorney.<\/p>\n<p>This guide will walk you through when you should call a Los Angeles labor lawyer for help.<\/p>\n<h2>When Should You Call a Los Angeles Labor Lawyer?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1257\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Labor-Lawyer-Los-Angeles-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Labor Lawyer Los Angeles\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Labor-Lawyer-Los-Angeles-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Labor-Lawyer-Los-Angeles-100x67.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Labor-Lawyer-Los-Angeles.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Any time you feel your employer has violated your rights as a worker \u2013 whether you think it violated a California law or a federal law \u2013 you should call a labor lawyer. When you talk to an attorney, he or she will explain your rights and help you determine whether your employer broke the law. If your employer <em>didn\u2019t<\/em> violate your rights, at least now you know\u2026 and if your employer <strong><em>did<\/em><\/strong> violate your rights, you can choose whether to move forward with legal action that gets you the compensation you deserve.<\/p>\n<h2>5 Situations in Which You Should Call a Los Angeles Labor Lawyer<\/h2>\n<p>Some situations that you should call a Los Angeles labor lawyer for include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Minimum wage disputes<\/li>\n<li>Unpaid overtime<\/li>\n<li>Salary misclassification<\/li>\n<li>Unpaid sales commissions<\/li>\n<li>Unsafe working conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This isn\u2019t a complete list, though. If you&#8217;re not sure whether your employer violated your rights or broke the law, it can\u2019t hurt to call a labor lawyer to get clarification.<\/p>\n<h3>Minimum Wage Disputes<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1259\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-100x67.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Every employer in California is required to pay its workers minimum wage or more. Our minimum wage is going up \u2013 each year, on January 1, it\u2019s set to increase by $1 until 2023. At that time, everyone in California will be entitled to make at least $15 per hour, regardless of what type of work they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n<p>It can get confusing right now, though, because some employers have a lower minimum wage than other employers do. Here\u2019s the deal: Employers with 25 employees or fewer are allowed to pay $1 less than employers with 26 or more employees do. Again, that\u2019ll even out by 2023, when everyone will be making at least $15 per hour. Check out this chart, which simplifies it:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>Year<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>25 Employees or Fewer<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"208\"><strong>26 or More Employees<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">2019<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$11\/hour<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$12\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">2020<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$12\/hour<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$13\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">2021<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$13\/hour<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$14\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">2022<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$14\/hour<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$15\/hour<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"208\">2023<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\">$15\/hour<\/td>\n<td width=\"208\"><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>In the state of California, the minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage. Because California requires us to follow the law that provides the most protections for workers, your employer can\u2019t pay you the federal minimum wage. The current federal minimum wage is only $7.25 per hour.<\/p>\n<p>If your employer isn\u2019t paying you minimum wage, you may need to talk to a Los Angeles labor lawyer immediately to resolve the issue. You could be entitled to back pay and other forms of compensation.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/category\/wages\/\">Wages in California<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Unpaid Overtime<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1261\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Unpaid-Overtime-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-300x199.jpg\" alt=\"Unpaid Overtime - Los Angeles Labor Lawyer\" width=\"300\" height=\"199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Unpaid-Overtime-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Unpaid-Overtime-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-100x66.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Unpaid-Overtime-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Hourly workers must receive overtime if they work more than a certain number of hours per week or a certain number of days per week. Not all employers are required to pay overtime, though, so if you\u2019re not getting your overtime pay but you\u2019re not sure about your own employer, your best bet is to get in touch with a Los Angeles labor lawyer.<\/p>\n<p>Under our state\u2019s current overtime laws, here\u2019s what hourly employees are entitled to receive in overtime pay:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\"><strong>Hours Worked<\/strong><\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">Rate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">8 or more per day<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">Time and a half<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">40 or more per week<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">Time and a half<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">7th consecutive day in one workweek<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">Time and a half<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">12 or more hours per day<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">Double time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"312\">Over 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day in one workweek<\/td>\n<td width=\"312\">Double time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>This means if your hourly rate is $20 per hour, your time and a half rate is $30 per hour. Your double time rate is $40 per hour.<\/p>\n<p>For example, if you work 45 hours in one week \u2013 let\u2019s say it\u2019s an extra hour each day of a five-day workweek \u2013 you\u2019re entitled to your regular rate of pay for the first 40 hours. Then, you\u2019re entitled to time and a half for the remaining 5 hours. If your hourly rate is $20 per hour, you should be paid a total of $800 for the first 40 hours you worked and a total of $150 for the 5 hours of overtime you worked. That means your check that week should be for $950 (before taxes and deductions).<\/p>\n<p>If you know you\u2019re working overtime but you\u2019re not being paid for it, call a Los Angeles labor lawyer \u2013 because if your employer is one that\u2019s required to pay overtime rates and you\u2019re not getting the money, your employer is probably violating your rights.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/articles\/california-overtime-laws-hourly-workers\/\">California overtime laws for hourly workers<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Salary Misclassification<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1263\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Call-a-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Salary-Misclassification-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Call a Los Angeles Labor Lawyer for Salary Misclassification\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Call-a-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Salary-Misclassification-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Call-a-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Salary-Misclassification-100x67.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Call-a-Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Salary-Misclassification.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>Unfortunately, some California employers misclassify their employees in order to save money. Some employers say that workers are contractors when they\u2019re really not \u2013 and this enables the company to save on benefits and other types of compensation.<\/p>\n<p>Generally speaking, if you\u2019re a contractor, you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Set your own hours<\/li>\n<li>Can work from any location<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t receive employment benefits like insurance, overtime pay or sick pay<\/li>\n<li>Usually work independently<\/li>\n<li>Pay your own taxes (your employer doesn\u2019t withhold them)<\/li>\n<li>Can\u2019t claim worker\u2019s compensation benefits<\/li>\n<li>Can\u2019t claim unemployment benefits<\/li>\n<li>Receive your pay according to the contract you signed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Generally speaking, if you\u2019re an employee, you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Work at certain times in a location the employer designates<\/li>\n<li>Work under the employer\u2019s control<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t make personal investments in relation to performing your job<\/li>\n<li>Have your employer withhold taxes and provide you with a net salary<\/li>\n<li>May be eligible for unemployment benefits<\/li>\n<li>Can claim worker\u2019s compensation benefits<\/li>\n<li>Receive at least minimum wage<\/li>\n<li>Are protected by employment laws involving <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/category\/employment\/discrimination\/\">discrimination<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Are protected by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wages\/unsafe-work-conditions\/\">workplace safety laws<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You should call a Los Angeles labor lawyer if you think your employer has misclassified your employment \u2013 or if your employer is treating you like an employee rather than a contractor.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/blog-posts\/contractor-vs-employee-differences\/\">The differences between contractors and employees<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Unpaid Sales Commissions<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1265\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unpaid-Commissions-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Los Angeles Labor Lawyer for Unpaid Commissions\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unpaid-Commissions-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unpaid-Commissions-100x67.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unpaid-Commissions.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>When you\u2019re in sales, you could be entitled to earn commission pay from your employer. If your employer definitely owes you money for commissions you agreed to before you took the job, you need to call a labor lawyer in Los Angeles; you may be legally entitled to that money, and your attorney can help you get it.<\/p>\n<p>Commissions are usually based on a percentage of sales you make or profits you generate, or the number of sales you make. Most of the time, you\u2019ll negotiate commission amounts before you even start a job.<\/p>\n<p>Commissions are not bonuses \u2013 bonuses are discretionary, and commissions are not. That means if your employer owes you commissions, it has to pay them; if it were a bonus, the employer could decide whether or not to give it to you.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wages\/unpaid-commissions\/\">Unpaid commissions<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Unsafe Working Conditions<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-1267\" src=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unsafe-Working-Conditions-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Los Angeles Labor Lawyer for Unsafe Working Conditions\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unsafe-Working-Conditions-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unsafe-Working-Conditions-100x67.jpg 100w, https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Los-Angeles-Labor-Lawyer-for-Unsafe-Working-Conditions.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/>As a worker in California, you\u2019re entitled to work in a safe place \u2013 one that doesn\u2019t put you at unnecessary risk. Naturally, some jobs are more dangerous than others are. However, your employer is responsible for eliminating risks that you don\u2019t need to take. If you think you\u2019re working in unsafe working conditions, you should call a Los Angeles labor lawyer to learn about your rights.<\/p>\n<p>Some hazardous working conditions can be classified this way:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ergonomic hazards<\/li>\n<li>Chemical hazards<\/li>\n<li>Biological hazards<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Sometimes, if your workplace is unsafe, you might have the right to stop working until your employer fixes the issues. You have to be really careful, though \u2013 if you aren\u2019t justified and you refuse to work, you could lose your job. Your best bet is to talk to a Los Angeles labor lawyer about your situation and find out what remedies are available to you.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/articles\/unsafe-working-conditions-need-know\/\">Unsafe working conditions: What you need to know<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Do You Need to Talk to a Los Angeles Labor Lawyer?<\/h2>\n<p>If you feel that your employer has violated your rights and you\u2019re entitled to protection under California law, we can help you. Call us at 818-918-3876 for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/contact-us\/\">free consultation with a Los Angeles labor lawyer<\/a> today.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re like many people, you could benefit from talking to a Los Angeles labor lawyer \u2013 but if you\u2019re like most people, you don\u2019t really know when to call, whether your employer has violated your rights, or what would happen if you talked to an attorney. This guide will walk you through when you should call a Los Angeles &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/articles\/when-should-you-call-a-los-angeles-labor-lawyer\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[5,56,3,2],"tags":[655,652,138,300,654,187,653,60],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1254"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1254\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.yeremianlaw.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}