Labor Commissioner's Office

The mission of the California Labor Commissioner's Office is to ensure a just day's pay in every workplace in the State and to promote economic justice through robust enforcement of labor laws. By combating wage theft, protecting workers from retaliation, and educating the public, we put earned wages into workers' pockets and help level the playing field for law-abiding employers. This office is also known as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE).

New law for determining if a worker is an employee or independent contractor

In September of 2019, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 5 into law. The new law addresses the “employment status” of workers when they are claimed to be an independent contractor and not an employee. For more information, see Frequently Asked Questions page.

FAQs - Late Payment of Wages

The Labor Commissioner is Hiring!

Workers

Learn about your rights as a worker
File a wage claim to recover your unpaid wages
File an Equal Pay Act Claim
Report a labor law violation
File a public works complaint
File a retaliation complaint if you’re fired, demoted, or punished for reporting labor law violations or workplace safety hazards
Obtain an electrician's certification

Employers

Review requirements before the first employee starts work (English) (Spanish)
Labor Law and Payroll Tax Online Seminars
Obtain required notices and posters
Learn about Wage Theft Prevention Act
Obtain licenses, permits, registrations, and certificates
Learn about Piece Rate Compensation (AB 1513)
Learn about Paid Sick Leave
Learn about Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
List of Port Trucking Companies with Outstanding Judgments (SB 1402)

California wildfires - FAQs on laws enforced by the Labor Commissioner's Office

Public Meetings

Current schedule of meetings available for the public Public Meetings.

Help make pay equity the norm in California. Tools and resources for employers, employees and unions to comply with the Equal Pay Act are now available.

California Minimum Wage Effective January 1, 2021

$14.00 per hour for workers at businesses with 26 or more employees.
$13.00 per hour for workers at small businesses (25 or fewer employees).

For more information on California minimum wage.

Overtime Law for Agricultural Workers

Effective January 1, 2020, agricultural workers employed by employers with 26 or more employees must receive overtime (1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay) for all hours worked over 9 hours in any workday or over 50 hours in any workweek. AB 1066

Employer Requirement to Notify Employees of Inspection by Immigration Agencies

Requisitos del empleador de avisar al empleado de inspección por agencias de inmigración

中文 (Chinese) 한국어 (Korean) Tagalog Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)

Entertainment Industry Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Requirements

Beginning January 1, 2019, all talent agencies operating in California must provide their artists with educational materials on sexual harassment prevention, retaliation, reporting resources, nutrition and eating disorders.

Applicants for entertainment work permits for minors between the ages of 14 and 17 must also complete sexual harassment prevention training before obtaining a minor’s entertainment work permit.

More information on sexual harassment prevention training requirements in the entertainment industry

Piece Rate Workers

If you are an employee who was paid on a piece rate basis during the period of July 1, 2012 through December 31, 2015, the Labor Commissioner’s office may have collected wages for you from your employer for rest and recovery periods and other nonproductive time. If you believe your employer has paid those wages to the Labor Commissioner on your behalf, please complete this form and mail to the address below or take it to any local office of the Labor Commissioner. Please complete and submit a separate form for every employer who you think may have paid your wages to the Labor Commissioner.

Department of Industrial Relations
AB 1513 Application
1515 Clay St., 17th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612

Cómo Hacer un Reclamo al Fondo de Salario Impago

Si usted es un trabajador cuya paga entre el 1 de julio de 2012 y el 31 de diciembre de 2015 fue sobre la base de pago por pieza, el Comisionado Laboral puede haber recaudado sueldos de su empleador en concepto de períodos de descanso y otro tiempo improductivo. Si usted piensa que su paga ha sido enviada al Fondo de Sueldo Impago, por favor complete este formulario y envíelo a la dirección que figura a continuación o entréguelo personalmente en cualquier oficina del Comisionado Laboral. Por favor complete y envíe un formulario por cada empleador que, a su juicio, pueda haber enviado su paga al Comisionado Laboral.