General - Working Hours - Labor - CA

Section § 500

This section of the law defines key terms for the chapter. A 'workday' is a consecutive 24-hour period starting at the same time each day. A 'workweek' is seven consecutive days, starting on the same day each week, totaling 168 hours. An 'alternative workweek schedule' involves a regular schedule where someone works more than eight hours within a 24-hour period.

For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(a) “Workday” and “day” mean any consecutive 24-hour period commencing at the same time each calendar day.

(b) “Workweek” and “week” mean any seven consecutive days, starting with the same calendar day each week. “Workweek” is a fixed and regularly recurring period of 168 hours, seven consecutive 24-hour periods.

(c) “Alternative workweek schedule” means any regularly scheduled workweek requiring an employee to work more than eight hours in a 24-hour period.

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Section § 510

This section outlines the rules for overtime pay in California. Employees must be paid 1.5 times their regular rate for work beyond 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week, and the same rate for the first 8 hours on the seventh day of a workweek. If an employee works more than 12 hours in a day, or over 8 hours on the seventh day, they must be paid at double their regular rate.

Certain alternative work schedules, as approved by law or collective bargaining agreements, may be exempt from these overtime rules. Also, commuting time in ridesharing vehicles provided by the employer does not count as work time. This law doesn’t alter employer obligations under workers’ compensation laws.

(a) Eight hours of labor constitutes a day’s work. Any work in excess of eight hours in one workday and any work in excess of 40 hours in any one workweek and the first eight hours worked on the seventh day of work in any one workweek shall be compensated at the rate of no less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay for an employee. Any work in excess of 12 hours in one day shall be compensated at the rate of no less than twice the regular rate of pay for an employee. In addition, any work in excess of eight hours on any seventh day of a workweek shall be compensated at the rate of no less than twice the regular rate of pay of an employee. Nothing in this section requires an employer to combine more than one rate of overtime compensation in order to calculate the amount to be paid to an employee for any hour of overtime work. The requirements of this section do not apply to the payment of overtime compensation to an employee working pursuant to any of the following:

(1) An alternative workweek schedule adopted pursuant to Section 511.

(2) An alternative workweek schedule adopted pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement pursuant to Section 514.

(3) An alternative workweek schedule to which this chapter is inapplicable pursuant to Section 554.

(b) Time spent commuting to and from the first place at which an employee’s presence is required by the employer shall not be considered to be a part of a day’s work, when the employee commutes in a vehicle that is owned, leased, or subsidized by the employer and is used for the purpose of ridesharing, as defined in Section 522 of the Vehicle Code.

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Section § 511

This section allows employees to adopt alternative workweek schedules (schedules other than the traditional five 8-hour days) if authorized by at least two-thirds of the employees via a secret ballot vote. Employees can work up to 10 hours per day without receiving overtime pay, provided they don't exceed 40 work hours per week. However, if they work more than their scheduled hours or 40 hours in a week, they must receive overtime. Working more than 12 hours a day requires double pay for those hours.

Employers cannot reduce hourly pay when changing to or from an alternative schedule, and must accommodate employees who cannot work the new schedule, especially for religious reasons. Any election outcomes must be reported to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within 30 days. Some schedules, particularly in the healthcare sector, were noted and are subject to specific conditions based on past regulations.

(a) Upon the proposal of an employer, the employees of an employer may adopt a regularly scheduled alternative workweek that authorizes work by the affected employees for no longer than 10 hours per day within a 40-hour workweek without the payment to the affected employees of an overtime rate of compensation pursuant to this section. A proposal to adopt an alternative workweek schedule shall be deemed adopted only if it receives approval in a secret ballot election by at least two-thirds of affected employees in a readily identifiable work unit. The regularly scheduled alternative workweek proposed by an employer for adoption by employees may be a single work schedule that would become the standard schedule for workers in the work unit, or a menu of work schedule options, from which each employee in the unit would be entitled to choose. Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section 500, the menu of work schedule options may include a regular schedule of eight-hour days that are compensated in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 510. Employees who adopt a menu of work schedule options may, with employer consent, move from one schedule option to another on a weekly basis.

(b) An affected employee working longer than eight hours but not more than 12 hours in a day pursuant to an alternative workweek schedule adopted pursuant to this section shall be paid an overtime rate of compensation of no less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay of the employee for any work in excess of the regularly scheduled hours established by the alternative workweek agreement and for any work in excess of 40 hours per week. An overtime rate of compensation of no less than double the regular rate of pay of the employee shall be paid for any work in excess of 12 hours per day and for any work in excess of eight hours on those days worked beyond the regularly scheduled workdays established by the alternative workweek agreement. Nothing in this section requires an employer to combine more than one rate of overtime compensation in order to calculate the amount to be paid to an employee for any hour of overtime work.

(c) An employer shall not reduce an employee’s regular rate of hourly pay as a result of the adoption, repeal, or nullification of an alternative workweek schedule.

(d) An employer shall make a reasonable effort to find a work schedule not to exceed eight hours in a workday, in order to accommodate any affected employee who was eligible to vote in an election authorized by this section and who is unable to work the alternative schedule hours established as the result of that election. An employer shall be permitted to provide a work schedule not to exceed eight hours in a workday to accommodate any employee who was hired after the date of the election and who is unable to work the alternative schedule established as the result of that election. An employer shall explore any available reasonable alternative means of accommodating the religious belief or observance of an affected employee that conflicts with an adopted alternative workweek schedule, in the manner provided by subdivision (j) of Section 12940 of the Government Code.

(e) The results of any election conducted pursuant to this section shall be reported by an employer to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement within 30 days after the results are final.

(f) Any type of alternative workweek schedule that is authorized by this code and that was in effect on January 1, 2000, may be repealed by the affected employees pursuant to this section. Any alternative workweek schedule that was adopted pursuant to Wage Order Number 1, 4, 5, 7, or 9 of the Industrial Welfare Commission is null and void, except for an alternative workweek providing for a regular schedule of no more than 10 hours’ work in a workday that was adopted by a two-thirds vote of affected employees in a secret ballot election pursuant to wage orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission in effect prior to 1998. This subdivision does not apply to exemptions authorized pursuant to Section 515.

(g) Notwithstanding subdivision (f), an alternative workweek schedule in the health care industry adopted by a two-thirds vote of affected employees in a secret ballot election pursuant to Wage Order Numbers 4 and 5 in effect prior to 1998 that provided for workdays exceeding 10 hours but not exceeding 12 hours in a day without the payment of overtime compensation shall be valid until July 1, 2000. An employer in the health care industry shall make a reasonable effort to accommodate any employee in the health care industry who is unable to work the alternative schedule established as the result of a valid election held in accordance with provisions of Wage Order Number 4 or 5 that were in effect prior to 1998.

(h) Notwithstanding subdivision (f), if an employee is voluntarily working an alternative workweek schedule providing for a regular work schedule of not more than 10 hours’ work in a workday as of July 1, 1999, an employee may continue to work that alternative workweek schedule without the entitlement of the payment of daily overtime compensation for the hours provided in that schedule if the employer approves a written request of the employee to work that schedule.

(i) For purposes of this section, “work unit” includes a division, a department, a job classification, a shift, a separate physical location, or a recognized subdivision thereof. A work unit may consist of an individual employee as long as the criteria for an identifiable work unit in this section is met.

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Section § 512

Employers must provide a 30-minute meal break after five hours of work, which can be waived if the total work is six hours or less and both parties agree. If an employee works over 10 hours, they require a second 30-minute meal break, which can also be waived by mutual consent if the total work is 12 hours or less and the first meal break wasn't waived.

Some exceptions include specific conditions set by the Industrial Welfare Commission and employees covered by certain types of collective bargaining agreements, especially in industries like motion pictures, broadcasting, construction, commercial driving, security services, and utilities.

In some cases, like for commercial drivers in remote areas or certain employees in the baking industry, meal periods can start after six hours if certain conditions are met, including higher pay rates.

(a) An employer shall not employ an employee for a work period of more than five hours per day without providing the employee with a meal period of not less than 30 minutes, except that if the total work period per day of the employee is no more than six hours, the meal period may be waived by mutual consent of both the employer and employee. An employer shall not employ an employee for a work period of more than 10 hours per day without providing the employee with a second meal period of not less than 30 minutes, except that if the total hours worked is no more than 12 hours, the second meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the employer and the employee only if the first meal period was not waived.

(b)

(1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the Industrial Welfare Commission may adopt a working condition order permitting a meal period to commence after six hours of work if the commission determines that the order is consistent with the health and welfare of the affected employees.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a commercial driver employed by a motor carrier transporting nutrients and byproducts from a commercial feed manufacturer subject to Section 15051 of the Food and Agricultural Code to a customer located in a remote rural location may commence a meal period after six hours of work, if the regular rate of pay of the driver is no less than one and one-half times the state minimum wage and the driver receives overtime compensation in accordance with Section 510.

(c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to an employee in the wholesale baking industry who is subject to an Industrial Welfare Commission wage order and who is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that provides for a 35-hour workweek consisting of five 7-hour days, payment of one and one-half times the regular rate of pay for time worked in excess of seven hours per day, and a rest period of not less than 10 minutes every two hours.

(d) If an employee in the motion picture industry or the broadcasting industry, as those industries are defined in Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order Numbers 11 and 12, is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that provides for meal periods and includes a monetary remedy if the employee does not receive a meal period required by the agreement, then the terms, conditions, and remedies of the agreement pertaining to meal periods apply in lieu of the applicable provisions pertaining to meal periods of subdivision (a) of this section, Section 226.7, and Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order Numbers 11 and 12.

(e) Subdivisions (a) and (b) do not apply to an employee specified in subdivision (f) if both of the following conditions are satisfied:

(1) The employee is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement.

(2) The valid collective bargaining agreement expressly provides for the wages, hours of work, and working conditions of employees, and expressly provides for meal periods for those employees, final and binding arbitration of disputes concerning application of its meal period provisions, premium wage rates for all overtime hours worked, and a regular hourly rate of pay of not less than 30 percent more than the state minimum wage rate.

(f) Subdivision (e) applies to each of the following employees:

(1) An employee employed in a construction occupation.

(2) An employee employed as a commercial driver.

(3) An employee employed in the security services industry as a security officer who is registered pursuant to Chapter 11.5 (commencing with Section 7580) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, and who is employed by a private patrol operator registered pursuant to that chapter.

(4) An employee employed by an electrical corporation, a gas corporation, or a local publicly owned electric utility.

(g) The following definitions apply for the purposes of this section:

(1) “Commercial driver” means an employee who operates a vehicle described in Section 260 or 462 of, or subdivision (b) of Section 15210 of, the Vehicle Code.

(2) “Construction occupation” means all job classifications associated with construction by Article 2 (commencing with Section 7025) of Chapter 9 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code, including work involving alteration, demolition, building, excavation, renovation, remodeling, maintenance, improvement, and repair, and any other similar or related occupation or trade.

(3) “Electrical corporation” has the same meaning as provided in Section 218 of the Public Utilities Code.

(4) “Gas corporation” has the same meaning as provided in Section 222 of the Public Utilities Code.

(5) “Local publicly owned electric utility” has the same meaning as provided in Section 224.3 of the Public Utilities Code.

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Section § 512.1

This law mandates that certain employees, like those providing care in hospitals and clinics, must receive a 30-minute unpaid meal break for shifts over 5 hours and a second break for those over 10 hours. Rest breaks are 10 minutes for every 4 hours worked. If these breaks aren't given, the employee must receive an additional hour's pay. However, this doesn't apply to employees under collective bargaining agreements which offer equivalent compensation if breaks aren't provided. The law specifically applies to those in general acute care hospitals and related health facilities.

(a) An employee directly employed by an employer shall be entitled to one unpaid 30-minute meal period on shifts over 5 hours and a second unpaid 30-minute meal period on shifts over 10 hours, as provided by Section 512.

(1) The employee may waive a meal period in accordance with subdivision (a) of Section 512 and paragraph (D) of Section 11 of Wage Order Number 4 or paragraph (D) of Section 11 of Wage Order Number 5 of the Industrial Welfare Commission.

(2) On-duty meal periods may be provided in accordance with paragraph (A) of Section 11 of Wage Order Number 4 or paragraph (A) of Section 11 of Wage Order Number 5 of the Industrial Welfare Commission.

(b) An employee who is directly employed by an employer shall be entitled to a rest period based on the total hours worked daily at the rate of 10 minutes net rest time per 4 hours or major fraction thereof, as provided by Wage Order Number 4 and Wage Order Number 5 of the Industrial Welfare Commission.

(c) If an employer fails to provide to an employee a meal period or rest period in accordance with this section, the employer shall pay the employee one additional hour of pay at the employee’s regular rate of compensation for each workday that the meal or rest period is not provided.

(d) This section does not apply to an employee directly employed by an employer who is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that provides for meal and rest periods, and, if the employee does not receive a meal or rest period as required by the agreement, includes a monetary remedy that, at a minimum, is equivalent to one additional hour of pay at the employee’s regular rate of compensation for each workday that the meal or rest period is not provided.

(e) As used in this section:

(1) “Employee” means an employee who provides direct patient care or supports direct patient care in a general acute care hospital, clinic, or public health setting.

(2) “Employer” means the state, political subdivisions of the state, counties, municipalities, and the Regents of the University of California.

(3) “General acute care hospital” means a health facility as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 1250 of the Health and Safety Code.

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Section § 512.2

This law clarifies that airline cabin crew employees are not required to receive meal or rest periods if they are covered by a collective bargaining agreement under the Railway Labor Act. This applies if the agreement has provisions about meal and rest periods. Employees who are part of a group represented by a labor union but not under such an agreement have this exemption for up to 12 months. Meal and rest provisions in agreements include allowing eating on the aircraft or compensating for meals. From December 5, 2022, new lawsuits for meal or rest break violations can't be filed if covered by such agreements. This law doesn't affect ongoing legal actions or settlements related to break violations.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including applicable wage orders, the requirement to provide a meal or rest period pursuant to an applicable statute, regulation, ordinance, standard, or order shall not apply to an airline cabin crew employee if the employee meets either of the following conditions:

(1) The employee is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement under the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. Sec. 151 et seq.) and that agreement contains any provision addressing meal and rest periods for airline cabin crew employees.

(2) The employee is part of a craft or class of employees that is represented by a labor organization pursuant to the Railway Labor Act (45 U.S.C. Sec. 151 et seq.) but is not yet covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement described in paragraph (1). This paragraph shall apply for the first 12 months that the craft or class of employees is represented by a labor organization and may apply for longer than the first 12 months only if agreed upon in writing by the employer and the labor organization representing the employee’s craft or class.

(b) For purposes of this section, a collective bargaining agreement “contains any provision addressing meal and rest periods” if the agreement contains any provision providing for meal and rest periods; providing compensation in lieu of meals, or per diem, which may be in lieu of meals; or providing a recognition of a right to eat on board an aircraft during the course of a duty day.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law, commencing December 5, 2022, a person shall not file a new legal action by or on behalf of a person covered by a collective bargaining agreement meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) asserting a claim for alleged meal or rest break violations.

(d) This section shall not affect a settlement agreement or final judgment of any civil action brought by an airline cabin crew employee, or class thereof, against an employer on a claim of a meal or rest break violation.

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Section § 512.5

This law says that if an employee of a government agency, who drives a commercial truck or bus, is covered by a union contract, the rules about taking meal and rest breaks may not apply to them. This can happen if the Industrial Welfare Commission decides it's okay and it won't harm the employee's health. A commercial motor vehicle is defined the same as in the Vehicle Code. Public agencies include state entities like cities and counties.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter, if the Industrial Welfare Commission adopts or amends an order that applies to an employee of a public agency who operates a commercial motor vehicle, it may exempt that employee from the application of the provisions of that order which relate to meal periods or rest periods, consistent with the health and welfare of that employee, if he or she is covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement.

(b) “Commercial motor vehicle” for the purposes of this section has the same meaning as provided in subdivision (b) of Section 15210 of the Vehicle Code.

(c) “Public agency” for the purposes of this section means the state and any political subdivision of the state, including any city, county, city and county, or special district.

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Section § 513

This law allows an employee to make up for missed work hours due to personal obligations within the same workweek. If approved by the employer, these makeup hours won't count towards daily overtime, except if the employee works more than 11 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. The employee must submit a signed request each time they want to make up hours. Employers cannot push employees to make such requests or take personal time off to do so.

If an employer approves a written request of an employee to make up work time that is or would be lost as a result of a personal obligation of the employee, the hours of that makeup work time, if performed in the same workweek in which the work time was lost, may not be counted towards computing the total number of hours worked in a day for purposes of the overtime requirements specified in Section 510 or 511, except for hours in excess of 11 hours of work in one day or 40 hours in one workweek. An employee shall provide a signed written request for each occasion that the employee makes a request to make up work time pursuant to this section. An employer is prohibited from encouraging or otherwise soliciting an employee to request the employer’s approval to take personal time off and make up the work hours within the same week pursuant to this section.

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Section § 514

This law states that certain rules about work hours and overtime don't apply if employees are part of a union agreement. The agreement must clearly outline wages, hours, and working conditions. It also needs to offer extra pay for overtime and a regular pay rate that's at least 30% higher than the state minimum wage.

Sections 510 and 511 do not apply to an employee covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement if the agreement expressly provides for the wages, hours of work, and working conditions of the employees, and if the agreement provides premium wage rates for all overtime hours worked and a regular hourly rate of pay for those employees of not less than 30 percent more than the state minimum wage.

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Section § 514.5

This law states that certain California labor protections, specifically Sections 510, 511, and 512, do not apply to minor league baseball players who are part of a labor union with over 10 years of experience representing baseball players. These players must be under a collective bargaining agreement that covers their wages, work hours, working conditions, and payment for offseason and spring training, with a system for arbitration of disputes.

Additionally, the Department of Industrial Relations must update Wage Order No. 10-2001 within three months to exclude specific sections from applying to these players. This amendment process is exempt from the usual rulemaking requirements under the Administrative Procedure Act.

(a) Sections 510, 511, and 512 do not apply to a person who is covered by a contract to play baseball at the minor league level with a labor organization that has at least 10 years of experience representing baseball players and who is compensated pursuant to the terms of a valid collective bargaining agreement that expressly provides for the wages, hours of work, working conditions of employees, payment for time worked during the off-season and spring training, and final and binding arbitration of disputes.

(b)

(1) By three months after the effective date of this section, the Department of Industrial Relations shall amend and republish Wage Order No. 10-2001 to provide that Sections 3 to 7, inclusive, and Sections 9 to 12, inclusive, of the wage order do not apply to a person subject to this section.

(2) An amendment and republication pursuant to this section are exempt from the rulemaking provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act (Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code), and from the procedures described in Sections 1177, 1178.5, 1181, 1182, and 1182.1.

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Section § 515

This California labor law explains when certain employees, like executives, administrators, and professionals, might be excluded from overtime pay if they mainly perform specific types of work, regularly make independent decisions, and earn at least twice the minimum wage. The Industrial Welfare Commission reviews and decides on such exemptions. The law also specifies how to calculate overtime pay for salaried employees who are not exempt from overtime, stating their pay should be based on a 40-hour workweek. Additionally, registered nurses aren't automatically exempt unless they meet certain criteria, but this doesn't apply to certified roles like nurse midwives or anesthetists, who must also meet exemption standards.

(a) The Industrial Welfare Commission may establish exemptions from the requirement that an overtime rate of compensation be paid pursuant to Sections 510 and 511 for executive, administrative, and professional employees, if the employee is primarily engaged in the duties that meet the test of the exemption, customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment in performing those duties, and earns a monthly salary equivalent to no less than two times the state minimum wage for full-time employment. The commission shall conduct a review of the duties that meet the test of the exemption. The commission may, based upon this review, convene a public hearing to adopt or modify regulations at that hearing pertaining to duties that meet the test of the exemption without convening wage boards. Any hearing conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be concluded not later than July 1, 2000.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in this section and in subdivision (g) of Section 511, nothing in this section requires the commission to alter an exemption from provisions regulating hours of work that was contained in a valid wage order in effect in 1997. Except as otherwise provided in this division, the commission may review, retain, or eliminate an exemption from provisions regulating hours of work that was contained in a valid wage order in effect in 1997.

(c) For the purposes of subdivision (a), “full-time employment” means employment in which an employee is employed for 40 hours per week.

(d)

(1) For the purpose of computing the overtime rate of compensation required to be paid to a nonexempt full-time salaried employee, the employee’s regular hourly rate shall be¹/₄₀th of the employee’s weekly salary.

(2) Payment of a fixed salary to a nonexempt employee shall be deemed to provide compensation only for the employee’s regular, nonovertime hours, notwithstanding any private agreement to the contrary.

(e) For the purposes of this section, “primarily” means more than one-half of the employee’s worktime.

(f)

(1) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (a), a registered nurse employed to engage in the practice of nursing shall not be exempted from coverage under the orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission, unless he or she individually meets the criteria for exemptions established for executive or administrative employees.

(2) This subdivision does not apply to any of the following:

(A) A certified nurse midwife who is primarily engaged in performing duties for which certification is required pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 2746) of Chapter 6 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(B) A certified nurse anesthetist who is primarily engaged in performing duties for which certification is required pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 2825) of Chapter 6 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(C) A certified nurse practitioner who is primarily engaged in performing duties for which certification is required pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 2834) of Chapter 6 of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(D) Nothing in this paragraph shall exempt the occupations set forth in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) from meeting the requirements of subdivision (a).

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Section § 515.5

This section refers to when computer software employees in California can be exempt from receiving overtime pay. To qualify, their work must be mainly intellectual or creative and involve independent judgment. Duties can include system analysis, program design, or software testing. They must be highly skilled, and earn at least $36 per hour or a yearly salary of $75,000 full-time. These wage thresholds adjust yearly based on inflation. However, the exemption does not cover entry-level workers, those needing supervision, people in computer operations or hardware maintenance, engineers dependent on software but not focused on programming, writers of software-related materials, or those developing visual effects for media industries.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), an employee in the computer software field shall be exempt from the requirement that an overtime rate of compensation be paid pursuant to Section 510 if all of the following apply:

(1) The employee is primarily engaged in work that is intellectual or creative and that requires the exercise of discretion and independent judgment.

(2) The employee is primarily engaged in duties that consist of one or more of the following:

(A) The application of systems analysis techniques and procedures, including consulting with users, to determine hardware, software, or system functional specifications.

(B) The design, development, documentation, analysis, creation, testing, or modification of computer systems or programs, including prototypes, based on and related to user or system design specifications.

(C) The documentation, testing, creation, or modification of computer programs related to the design of software or hardware for computer operating systems.

(3) The employee is highly skilled and is proficient in the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized information to computer systems analysis, programming, or software engineering. A job title shall not be determinative of the applicability of this exemption.

(4) The employee’s hourly rate of pay is not less than thirty-six dollars ($36.00) or, if the employee is paid on a salaried basis, the employee earns an annual salary of not less than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000) for full-time employment, which is paid at least once a month and in a monthly amount of not less than six thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($6,250). The department shall adjust both the hourly pay rate and the salary level described in this paragraph on October 1 of each year to be effective on January 1 of the following year by an amount equal to the percentage increase in the California Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.

(b) The exemption provided in subdivision (a) does not apply to an employee if any of the following apply:

(1) The employee is a trainee or employee in an entry-level position who is learning to become proficient in the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized information to computer systems analysis, programming, and software engineering.

(2) The employee is in a computer-related occupation but has not attained the level of skill and expertise necessary to work independently and without close supervision.

(3) The employee is engaged in the operation of computers or in the manufacture, repair, or maintenance of computer hardware and related equipment.

(4) The employee is an engineer, drafter, machinist, or other professional whose work is highly dependent upon or facilitated by the use of computers and computer software programs and who is skilled in computer-aided design software, including CAD/CAM, but who is not engaged in computer systems analysis, programming, or any other similarly skilled computer-related occupation.

(5) The employee is a writer engaged in writing material, including box labels, product descriptions, documentation, promotional material, setup and installation instructions, and other similar written information, either for print or for onscreen media or who writes or provides content material intended to be read by customers, subscribers, or visitors to computer-related media such as the World Wide Web or CD-ROMs.

(6) The employee is engaged in any of the activities set forth in subdivision (a) for the purpose of creating imagery for effects used in the motion picture, television, or theatrical industry.

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Section § 515.6

This law specifies that licensed physicians and surgeons in California who make at least $55 per hour are exempt from overtime pay rules under Section 510, which generally regulates working hours. This pay threshold is adjusted annually based on inflation. However, this exemption does not apply to doctors in medical internships, residency programs, or those covered by a specific union agreement.

(a) Section 510 shall not apply to any employee who is a licensed physician or surgeon, who is primarily engaged in duties that require licensure pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, and whose hourly rate of pay is equal to or greater than fifty-five dollars ($55.00). The department shall adjust this threshold rate of pay each October 1, to be effective the following January 1, by an amount equal to the percentage increase in the California Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.

(b) The exemption provided in subdivision (a) shall not apply to an employee employed in a medical internship or resident program or to a physician employee covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement pursuant to Section 514.

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Section § 515.7

This section outlines how employees working as instructors at independent, non-profit higher education institutions should be classified and compensated. Such employees are considered to work in a professional capacity and are exempt from certain wage order requirements if they meet specific criteria.

First, they must be employed in a job recognized as a learned or artistic profession, using independent judgment. Their work must be intellectual and cannot follow a standardized time-based output. Second, they must be paid on a salary basis, and the salary should meet specific minimum requirements, either as a monthly salary for full-time work, per course salary based on classroom hours, or under a collective bargaining agreement.

The law also specifies how to calculate the minimum salary per classroom hour, including adjustments for nonlecture courses like labs and art studios. Finally, it defines a few terms, like 'classroom hour' and what qualifies an institution as an independent institution of higher education.

(a) If an employee is employed to provide instruction for a course or laboratory at an independent institution of higher education, the employee shall be classified as employed in a professional capacity under Wage Order No. 4-2001 of the Industrial Welfare Commission, or under Wage Order No. 5-2001 of the Industrial Welfare Commission, and shall be exempt from paragraphs (2), (3), and (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 226, and Sections 510 and 512, when all of the following apply:

(1) The employee is employed in a professional capacity. For the purpose of this section, an employee shall be considered to be employed in a professional capacity under Wage Order No. 4-2001 or Wage Order No. 5-2001, notwithstanding clauses (a) and (d) of subparagraph (3) of paragraph (A) of Section 1 of Wage Order 4 and clauses (a) and (d) of subparagraph (3) of paragraph (B) of Section 1 of Wage Order 5, if:

(A) The employee is primarily engaged in an occupation commonly recognized as a learned or artistic profession; and

(B) The employee customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment in the performance of duties set forth in subparagraph (A).

(C) For the purposes of this paragraph, “learned or artistic profession” means an employee who is primarily engaged in the performance of:

(i) Work requiring knowledge of an advanced type in a field or science or learning customarily acquired by a prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction and study, as distinguished from a general academic education and from an apprenticeship, and from training in the performance of routine mental, manual, or physical processes, or work that is an essential part of or necessarily incident to any of the above work; or

(ii) Work that is original and creative in character in a recognized field of artistic endeavor, as opposed to work which can be produced by a person endowed with general manual or intellectual ability and training, and the result of which depends primarily on the invention, imagination, or talent of the employee or work that is an essential part of or necessarily incident to any of the above work; and

(iii) Whose work is predominantly intellectual and varied in character, as opposed to routine mental, manual, mechanical, or physical work, and is of such character that the output produced or the result accomplished cannot be standardized in relation to a given period of time.

(2) The employee is paid on a salary basis, as defined by Section 541.602 of Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and receives one of the following minimum compensations:

(A) A monthly salary equivalent to no less than two times the state minimum wage for employment in which the employee is employed for at least 40 hours per week.

(B) When employed per course or laboratory, a salary for a course or laboratory that is calculated on the basis of classroom hours as set forth in subdivision (b).

(C) When employed under a collective bargaining agreement, payment pursuant to that collective bargaining agreement, if the classification of employment in a professional capacity is expressly included in the collective bargaining agreement in clear and unambiguous terms. The requirements of Section 514 that mandate provisions of a collective bargaining agreement shall not apply.

(b) The minimum salary required by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) shall be calculated using classroom hours as follows:

(1) The minimum payment that is calculated using classroom hours shall encompass payment for all classroom or laboratory time, preparation, grading, office hours, and other course- or laboratory-related work for that course or laboratory and no separate payment shall be required. The following minimum rates shall be used in this calculation:

(A) For each classroom hour in 2020: one hundred seventeen dollars ($117).

(B) For each classroom hour in 2021: one hundred twenty-six dollars ($126).

(D) For each classroom hour in 2023 and each year thereafter: a percentage increase to the rate described in subparagraph (C) that is equal to the percentage increase to the state minimum wage calculated in accordance with subdivision (c) of Section 1182.12.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), if a laboratory, art studio course, clinical course, or other nonlecture course has more classroom hours than a lecture-based course with the same number of units at the institution, the minimum salary required by subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) for the laboratory, art studio course, clinical course, or other nonlecture course shall be that of the lecture-based course with the same number of units.

(3) The minimum rate of pay for per course or laboratory compensation is for course-related work only. Employees shall be compensated separately for other non-course-related work on behalf of the employer, which shall not affect the employee’s classification as an exempt employee.

(1) “Classroom hour” means the time spent in the primary forum of the course or laboratory, regardless of whether the forum is inperson or virtual.

(2) “Independent institution of higher education” means a nonpublic, higher education institution that grants undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, or both, and that is formed as a nonprofit corporation before January 1, 2023, and is accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.

independent institutions higher education instructors professional capacity employment ...

Section § 515.8

This section clarifies that certain overtime rules don't apply to teachers at private schools teaching grades K-12. To qualify, these teachers must primarily teach and make independent decisions in their job. Full-time teachers must earn at least what the lowest-paid regularly credentialed public school teacher makes, although not with emergency or intern permits. Part-time teachers should be paid proportionally. Teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree or a valid teaching credential. This rule doesn't apply to positions like tutors and teaching aides. Also, it doesn't interfere with other overtime exemptions for professionals, executives, or administrators.

(a) Section 510 does not apply to an individual employed as a teacher at a private elementary or secondary academic institution in which pupils are enrolled in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

(b) For purposes of this section, “employed as a teacher” means that the employee meets all of the following requirements:

(1) The employee is primarily engaged in the duty of imparting knowledge to pupils by teaching, instructing, or lecturing.

(2) The employee customarily and regularly exercises discretion and independent judgment in performing the duties of a teacher.

(3) On and after July 1, 2017, the employee earns the following amount:

(A) For a full-time employee, the greater of the following:

(i) No less than 100 percent of the lowest salary offered by any school district to a person who is in a position that requires the person to have a valid California teaching credential and is not employed in that position pursuant to an emergency permit, intern permit, or waiver.

(ii) The equivalent of no less than 70 percent of the lowest schedule salary offered by the school district or the county office of education in which the private elementary or secondary academic institution is located to a person who is in a position that requires the person to have a valid California teaching credential and is not employed in that position pursuant to an emergency permit, intern permit, or waiver.

(B) For a part-time employee, the proportional amount of the salary identified in subparagraph (A) that is equal to the proportion of the full-time instructional schedule for which the part-time employee is employed.

(4) The employee has attained at least one of the following levels of professional advancement:

(A) A baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited institution of higher education.

(B) Current compliance with the requirements established by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, or the equivalent certification authority in another state, for obtaining a preliminary or alternative teaching credential.

(c) When budgeting for a future school year, a private elementary or secondary academic institution may determine the salary requirements in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) by referring to school salary schedules in effect for up to 12 months prior to the start of the school year.

(d) This section does not apply to any tutor, teaching assistant, instructional aide, student teacher, day care provider, vocational instructor, or other similar employee.

(e) The exemption established in subdivision (a) is in addition to, and does not limit or supersede, any exemption from overtime established by a Wage Order of the Industrial Welfare Commission for persons employed in a professional capacity, and does not affect any exemption from overtime established by that commission pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 515 for persons employed in an executive or administrative capacity.

private school teachers overtime exemption teaching credential requirements ...

Section § 516

This California labor law section allows the Industrial Welfare Commission to set rules about break times, meal times, and rest days for workers, focusing on their health and well-being. However, health care employees have special meal break rules specified in certain Wage Orders that have been valid since October 1, 2000, and these rules remain in force.

(a) Except as provided in Section 512, the Industrial Welfare Commission may adopt or amend working condition orders with respect to break periods, meal periods, and days of rest for any workers in California consistent with the health and welfare of those workers.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), or any other law, including Section 512, the health care employee meal period waiver provisions in Section 11(D) of Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders 4 and 5 were valid and enforceable on and after October 1, 2000, and continue to be valid and enforceable. This subdivision is declarative of, and clarifies, existing law.

Industrial Welfare Commission working condition orders break periods ...

Section § 517

This law section outlines the responsibilities of the Industrial Welfare Commission in California. By July 1, 2000, the Commission must hold public hearings to issue final orders on wages, hours, and working conditions without using wage boards. It defines rules for employee workweek elections and alternative schedules. Additionally, it requires reviews of working conditions in specific industries like ski, commercial fishing, healthcare, horseracing, and for pharmacists and outside salespeople. Based on these reviews, the Commission can hold public hearings to adopt or change regulations without wage boards. These actions aren't subject to certain government procedural requirements, and all orders must be published accordingly.

(a) The Industrial Welfare Commission shall, at a public hearing to be concluded by July 1, 2000, adopt wage, hours, and working conditions orders consistent with this chapter without convening wage boards, which orders shall be final and conclusive for all purposes. These orders shall include regulations necessary to provide assurances of fairness regarding the conduct of employee workweek elections, procedures for employees to petition for and obtain elections to repeal alternative workweek schedules, procedures for implementation of those schedules, conditions under which an adopted alternative workweek schedule can be repealed by the employer, employee disclosures, designations of work, and processing of workweek election petitions pursuant to Parts 2 and 4 of this division and in any wage order of the commission and such other regulations as may be needed to fulfill the duties of the commission pursuant to this part.

(b) Prior to July 1, 2000, the Industrial Welfare Commission shall conduct a review of wages, hours, and working conditions in the ski industry, commercial fishing industry, and health care industry, and for stable employees in the horseracing industry. Notwithstanding subdivision (a) and Sections 510 and 511, and consistent with its duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of workers pursuant to Section 1173, the commission may, based upon this review, convene a public hearing to adopt or modify regulations at that hearing pertaining to the industries herein, without convening wage boards. Any hearing conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be concluded not later than July 1, 2000.

(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 515, prior to July 1, 2000, the commission shall conduct a review of wages, hours, and working conditions of licensed pharmacists. The commission may, based upon this review, convene a public hearing to adopt or modify regulations at that hearing pertaining to licensed pharmacists without convening wage boards. Any hearing conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be concluded not later than July 1, 2000.

(d) Notwithstanding sections 1171 and subdivision (a) of Section 515, the Industrial Welfare Commission shall conduct a review of wages, hours, and working conditions of outside salespersons. The commission may, based upon this review, convene a public hearing to adopt or modify regulations at that hearing pertaining to outside salespersons without convening wage boards. Any hearing conducted pursuant to this subdivision shall be concluded not later than July 1, 2000.

(e) Nothing in this section is intended to restrict the Industrial Welfare Commission in its continuing duties pursuant to Section 1173.

(f) No action taken by the Industrial Welfare Commission pursuant to this section is subject to the requirements of Article 5 (commencing with Section 11346) of Chapter 3.5 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(g) All wage orders and other regulations issued or adopted pursuant to this section shall be published in accordance with Section 1182.1.

Industrial Welfare Commission public hearing wage orders ...

Section § 550

This law defines 'day's rest' as a break from work that is applicable no matter how an employee is hired (daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly) or what time of day they work. It means all workers should get a rest day, regardless of their pay period or work schedule.

As used in this chapter “day’s rest” applies to all situations whether the employee is engaged by the day, week, month, or year, and whether the work performed is done in the day or night time.

day's rest employee break work schedule ...

Section § 551

This law states that everyone who works is entitled to have at least one day off every seven days.

Every person employed in any occupation of labor is entitled to one day’s rest therefrom in seven.

day off rest day work schedule ...

Section § 552

Employers can't make their employees work more than six days in a week.

No employer of labor shall cause his employees to work more than six days in seven.

workweek limit employee rights seven-day work period ...

Section § 553

If someone breaks the rules in this chapter, they're committing a minor crime, called a misdemeanor.

Any person who violates this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor.

violation guilty misdemeanor ...

Section § 554

This law section states that certain rules about mandatory rest days do not apply in emergencies, or when work involves protecting life or property, or for train-related jobs. Employers can require employees to work seven or more days in a row if the job needs it, as long as employees still get roughly one day off for every week worked within a month. Even if there is a collective bargaining agreement, the rule about one day's rest in seven still applies unless the agreement specifically says otherwise.

Additionally, the Chief of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement can exempt employers or employees from the rest day rules if following them would cause hardship.

(a) Sections 551 and 552 do not apply to cases of emergency or to work performed in the protection of life or property from loss or destruction, or to any common carrier engaged in or connected with the movement of trains. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent an accumulation of days of rest when the nature of the employment reasonably requires that the employee work seven or more consecutive days, if in each calendar month the employee receives days of rest equivalent to one day’s rest in seven. The requirement respecting the equivalent of one day’s rest in seven shall apply, notwithstanding the other provisions of this chapter relating to collective bargaining agreements, where the employer and a labor organization representing employees of the employer have entered into a valid collective bargaining agreement respecting the hours of work of the employees, unless the agreement expressly provides otherwise.

(b) In addition to the exceptions specified in subdivision (a), the Chief of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement may, when in his or her judgment hardship will result, exempt any employer or employees from the provisions of Sections 551 and 552.

emergency work exceptions protection of life property protection ...

Section § 555

This law section states that certain rules, specifically Sections 550, 551, 552, and 554, apply to all cities that also function as counties, as well as to their officers and employees.

Sections 550, 551, 552 and 554 of this chapter are applicable to cities which are cities and counties and to the officers and employees thereof.

city and county governance municipal employees government officers ...

Section § 556

This law says that certain rules about work hours (found in Sections 551 and 552) don't apply if an employee works 30 hours or less in a week or no more than six hours in a single day during that week.

Sections 551 and 552 shall not apply to any employer or employee when the total hours of employment do not exceed 30 hours in any week or six hours in any one day thereof.

work hour exemption 30 hour workweek six hour workday ...

Section § 558

If an employer or someone acting for them breaks rules about work hours or days, they'll face fines. For a first offense, it's $50 per unpaid employee per pay period, plus owed wages. Repeat offenses cost $100 per employee per period, plus wages. Recovered wages go to the employee.

If the Labor Commissioner finds someone isn't paying overtime as required by state or local laws, they can issue a citation. This involves the same process as other violations. Local authorities can request the Commissioner to step in and issue citations if they haven't done so. These fines are on top of any other penalties.

This law doesn't change how local overtime rules apply.

(a) Any employer or other person acting on behalf of an employer who violates, or causes to be violated, a section of this chapter or any provision regulating hours and days of work in any order of the Industrial Welfare Commission shall be subject to a civil penalty as follows:

(1) For any initial violation, fifty dollars ($50) for each underpaid employee for each pay period for which the employee was underpaid in addition to an amount sufficient to recover underpaid wages.

(2) For each subsequent violation, one hundred dollars ($100) for each underpaid employee for each pay period for which the employee was underpaid in addition to an amount sufficient to recover underpaid wages.

(3) Wages recovered pursuant to this section shall be paid to the affected employee.

(b) If upon inspection or investigation the Labor Commissioner determines that a person had paid or caused to be paid a wage for overtime work in violation of any provision of this chapter, any provision regulating hours and days of work in any order of the Industrial Welfare Commission, or any applicable local overtime law, the Labor Commissioner may issue a citation. The procedures for issuing, contesting, and enforcing judgments for citations or civil penalties issued by the Labor Commissioner for a violation of this chapter shall be the same as those set out in Section 1197.1.

(c) In a jurisdiction where a local entity has the legal authority to issue a citation against an employer for a violation of any applicable local overtime law, the Labor Commissioner, pursuant to a request from the local entity, may issue a citation against an employer for a violation of any applicable local overtime law if the local entity has not cited the employer for the same violation. If the Labor Commissioner issues a citation, the local entity shall not cite the employer for the same violation.

(d) The civil penalties provided for in this section are in addition to any other civil or criminal penalty provided by law.

(e) This section does not change the applicability of local overtime wage laws to any entity.

employer violations civil penalty underpaid employees ...

Section § 558.1

This law states that if an employer or certain high-level individuals working for them break rules about minimum wage, work hours, or specific labor sections, they can be held responsible just like the employer. These individuals include owners, directors, officers, or managing agents of the company. Additionally, this law doesn't change how 'employer' is defined elsewhere.

(a) Any employer or other person acting on behalf of an employer, who violates, or causes to be violated, any provision regulating minimum wages or hours and days of work in any order of the Industrial Welfare Commission, or violates, or causes to be violated, Sections 203, 226, 226.7, 1193.6, 1194, or 2802, may be held liable as the employer for such violation.

(b) For purposes of this section, the term “other person acting on behalf of an employer” is limited to a natural person who is an owner, director, officer, or managing agent of the employer, and the term “managing agent” has the same meaning as in subdivision (b) of Section 3294 of the Civil Code.

minimum wage violations work hours regulation Industrial Welfare Commission ...

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