Overtime, Unpaid Wages, and Reimbursement of Expenses

In the state of California workers are to be paid overtime when they work more than eight hours in one shift, or more than 40 hours in one week. Unfortunately, many employers choose to ignore labor laws and treat employees unfairly. At Spencer C. Young Law, PC, our wage and unpaid expenses team is dedicated to ensuring that you get paid what you are owed. Residents of Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward, San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area rely on our firm for effective legal support and guidance regarding the entire range of employment law issues.

Employees are often hesitant to file wage, discrimination and retaliation claims against their employers. Our legal team can help you determine the most effective course of action. Sometimes we can settle your claims without going to court and we nearly always try to do that because filing a lawsuit entails significant risks and costs, and requires large amounts of time and leads to additional stress. We can help you get what you deserve if you have not been paid proper wages or overtime, of your employer has failed to pay you for work-related expenses. California’s Labor Code Section 2802 requires employers to reimburse employees for reasonable work-related expenses such as gas for your vehicle(s), hotel expenses, airfare to work events, costs to attend conferences and continuing education, uniforms, tools, and expenses related to electronic devices such as phones, lap tops, including the phone and internet plans that go with using those items. If you work remotely and are concerned about unpaid expenses, call us, we can help. Many wage and expense laws provide for attorney fees so that the employer pays your legal fees and you get to keep the money you’ve earned the right to keep.

California’s labor code and wage laws are designed to protect employees so that they are paid on time and in full for hours worked and expenses accrued. You depend on your full paycheck to pay the rent or mortgage, buy groceries, put fuel in your car, and to pay monthly bills. When you need a capable and experienced overtime wage attorney, we will work diligently to recover the unpaid wages you are owed, along with interest and other costs.

Employers will use a variety of tactics to get away with not paying employees for overtime. For instance, an employer may classify an employee as a supervisor for the sole purpose of not having to pay overtime, when the employee actually performs only minor duties (or even none) that would be considered managerial duties. You may fear that if you “make a big deal” or bring this injustice to your employer’s attention you will face retaliation. This is against the law; your employer could face substantial fines and penalties for retaliation. In addition to recouping your money we will fight for you to protect you from retaliation.

We also realize that even though expenses you may have paid out of your own pocket for your employer may seem minor, every dime is important when it comes to supporting yourself and your family. If you are looking for an Oakland employment lawyer who specializes in reimbursement of expenses, our firm focuses heavily on protecting employees. We stand up for your rights and work to ensure that your employer does not leave you with unpaid expenses.

Many employees are not actually clear on laws regarding overtime wages, company expenses, and other issues. If you believe you have been taken advantage of, do not hesitate to contact us. At Spencer C. Young Law, PC, our wage and unpaid expenses staff will carefully analyze your situation to determine if your employer or former employer owes you wages or compensation of company costs that you paid for out of your own pocket. We’ll get back the money you deserve.