The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: PAGA Reforms and Wage and Hour Compliance in California

Wage and hour lawsuits continue to plague California employers. Employers are often sued for technical violations simply because the employer is unaware of its legal obligations. Although employers in California increasingly face PAGA lawsuits, even when they try to comply with the law, the recent PAGA reforms now provide meaningful incentives for employers to be proactive in compliance, including training managers, HR, and payroll staff on wage and hour laws. 

Join attorneys Ryan Abernethy, Shauna Correia, and Nikki Mahmoudi from Weintraub Tobin’s Labor & Employment Group as they provide key insights to help you avoid violations and reduce PAGA penalties in the event of a lawsuit.

Topics of discussion include:

1. How recent PAGA reforms incentivize proactive wage and hour compliance
2. Requirements for legally compliant time records and wage statements
3. Minimizing off-the-clock work claims by taking steps to ensure employees do not work off-the-clock
4. Avoiding underpaying employees by never rounding employee hours
5. Calculating the proper rate of pay (including minimum wages and adequately calculating the regular rate of pay for overtime and missed meal/rest break premiums) 
6. Providing compliant meal and rest periods and utilizing available tools to identify, report, and cure non-compliant meal and rest periods  
7. Properly reimbursing business expenses
8. Using self/audits and other proactive measures to ensure compliance and promptly cure violations