
Getting Your Final Paycheck
Consider a bartender making minimum wage plus tips in Los Angeles, California. The bartender is let go and hasn't gotten their last paycheck. What should they do in order to get their money?
Employers in California must comply with Labor Code sections 201-203, which require them to pay waiting time penalties if they fail to pay all wages due to an employee who has been fired or resigned in a timely manner. These penalties are calculated based on the employee's daily rate of pay for each day that the employer fails to pay the wages owed for up to 30 calendar days. When an employee is fired, they must be paid all wages due at the time of termination.