California’s wage and overtime laws protect employees’ rights and ensure fair compensation for their work. These laws are governed by both federal and state regulations. The Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets the baseline for overtime pay, requiring employers to pay non-exempt employees time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond 40 in a week. California law requires overtime pay for work exceeding 8 hours in a day, 40 hours in a week, or for any work on the seventh consecutive day of a workweek.  For work beyond 12 hours in a day or 8 hours on the seventh consecutive workday, double time pay is required. 

California law also requires employers to pay employees at least twice a month on designated paydays, with overtime pay due by the second regular paycheck after it was earned. Employers must provide itemized wage statements with each paycheck, detailing gross and net wages, deductions, hourly rates, and hours worked. These records must be kept for at least three years.