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Wages & hours

Wage Claim Adjudication

DLSE adjudicates wage claims on the behalf of workers who file claims for nonpayment of wages, overtime, or vacation pay pursuant to California Labor Code Sections 96 and 98. DLSE deputies hold informal conferences between employers and employees to resolve wage disputes. If a matter cannot be resolved at the informal conference, an administrative hearing is held to make a final determination on the matter.

Note to Employers:  If you have non-negotiated checks on your books which are made payable to employees whose employment has been terminated (i.e., because you are unable to locate the employee) and you have made all reasonable efforts to pay the wages, you may send the non-negotiated checks with an explanation of your efforts to contact the employee to the nearest office of the Labor Commissioner.  The Labor Commissioner will make further efforts to locate the employee to make payment of the wages and, if unsuccessful, the checks will be deposited into the State of California Unclaimed Wages Fund and.  Click here to locate the nearest office of the Labor Commissioner.

• How to file a wage claim
• Initial Report or Claim
  • English (Pdf / Doc) (DLSE 1) (Rev. 05/2005)
  • Spanish (Pdf / Doc) (DLSE 1) (Rev. 05/2005)

    • Commission Summary/Nomina de Comisiones (DLSE-155) (Rev.12/03) and Sample DLSE-155
      • Instructions for completing: Commission Summary (Corresponds to DLSE Form 155)/Instrucciones para completar: Resumen de Comisiones (Corresponde a la forma 155 de DLSE) (Pdf / Doc)

    • Overtime, Rest Period, Meal Period Computation Form/Formulario para Calcular Sobretiempo, Descansos Y Comidas (DLSE-55) (Rev. 10/03) and Sample DLSE-55
      • Instructions for completing: Overtime, Rest Period, Meal Period Computation Form (Corresponds to DLSE-55)/Instrucciones para completar: Formulario de Horas Extras, Por Tiempo de Descanso y Comida(Corresponde a DLSE-55) (Pdf / Doc)

    • Vacation Pay Schedule (Doc) and Sample Vacation Pay Schedule (Pdf)
      • Instructions for completing: Recapitulation of Vacation Pay/Instrucciones para completar: Recapitulación de Pago de Vacaciones (Pdf / Doc)
  • Chinese (Pdf) (DLSE 1) (Rev. 02/2000)
  • Korean (Pdf) (DLSE 1) (Rev. 02/2000)
  • Vietnamese (Pdf / Doc) (DLSE 1) (Rev. 02/2000)
  • Tagalog (Pdf / Doc) (DLSE 1) (Rev. 02/2000)
• Information for Subpoena (Rev. 1/09)
  • English (Pdf / Doc) (DLSE 564) (Rev. 1/09)
• Policies and procedures for wage claim processing
  • English ( pdf) (html)
  • Spanish (pdf) ( doc)
• Frequently asked questions regarding wage and hour laws
• Phone information about your rights
• Líneas directas para información en español
• Time, Manner and Payment of Wages - English - Updated 12/10 ( pdf) ( doc)
• Time, Manner and Payment of Wages – Spanish - Updated 12/10 ( pdf) ( doc)
• Minimum wage increase 2007
• California minimum wage history
• Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Orders
• Which IWC Order? Classifications
• Prevailing wage

• Exemption for computer software employee (Labor Code Section 515.5)
  • History of rate of pay - ( pdf) ( doc)

• Exemption for physician employee (Labor Code Section 515.6)
  • History of rate of pay - ( pdf) ( doc)

Cautionary Note: All Wage Orders except Orders 14 and 17 contain references to specific Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) sections. These references are in the section of the Wage Orders that discuss their applicability. All the references relate to determining in employees meet the "Executive," ""Administrative," and/or "Professional" exemption

Because the CFR sections referenced are those in effect when the Wage Orders were amended, and because some of the current CFRs have been amended, click on the link to access the correct 29 CFR language that is referenced in the Wage Orders 1-13 and 15 or click on the following link to access the correct 29 CFR language that is referenced in Wage Order 16.