California HR Compliance & Administrative Services

The most common California HR violations we see are: (1) Improper meal and rest break procedures — California requires a 30-minute unpaid meal break for shifts over 5 hours and a 10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours worked; (2) Pay stub errors — California requires 9 specific items on every pay stub; (3) Late final paychecks — terminations require immediate final pay, resignations require pay within 72 hours; (4) Missing or outdated employee handbook; (5) Failure to provide mandatory sexual harassment training (SB 1343 requires training for all CA employers with 5+ employees).

The Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) allows any California employee to act as a private attorney general and sue their employer — on behalf of all current and former employees — for California Labor Code violations. Unlike a class action, PAGA does not require class certification, making it much easier to pursue. Penalties are $100 per employee per pay period for initial violations and $200 for subsequent violations — and these multiply rapidly across a full workforce and all affected pay periods. PAGA is the primary reason California HR compliance is so critical.

Yes. California SB 1343 requires all employers with 5 or more employees to provide sexual harassment prevention training every two years. Supervisors must receive 2 hours of training; non-supervisory employees must receive 1 hour. New employees must be trained within 6 months of hire. Failure to provide training can result in DFEH investigation, and untrained supervisors are more likely to commit violations that trigger EPLI claims. We provide this training as part of our HR compliance services.

California Labor Code Section 226 requires 9 items on every pay stub: (1) Gross wages earned; (2) Total hours worked (for non-exempt employees); (3) All deductions; (4) Net wages earned; (5) Pay period dates; (6) Employee's name and last 4 digits of SSN or employee ID; (7) Employer's legal name and address; (8) All applicable hourly rates and hours worked at each rate; (9) Piece-rate information if applicable. Violations are $50 per employee for the first violation, $100 per employee per pay period for subsequent violations, up to $4,000 per employee.

California has strict final paycheck rules: If you terminate an employee (including a layoff), final pay must be provided IMMEDIATELY at the time of termination — you cannot wait until the next regular payday. If an employee voluntarily resigns and gives at least 72 hours notice, final pay is due on their last day. If they resign with less than 72 hours notice, final pay is due within 72 hours of resignation. Late final paychecks trigger waiting time penalties of up to 30 days of the employee's daily wages. This is one of the most expensive and common California HR mistakes.

California requires virtually all employers to maintain a written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) under Cal/OSHA regulations. The IIPP must include: hazard identification and assessment procedures, hazard correction procedures, employee training on workplace hazards, recordkeeping, and communication procedures. Cal/OSHA conducts inspections and can issue citations of $18,000+ per serious violation. We help employers create, implement, and maintain compliant IIPPs for their specific industry and operations.