California’s Reporting Time Pay Laws: Compensation for Shift Workers
‘Reporting time pay’ or ‘show up pay’ is kind of a compensation made to the employees when they show up at work but get sent home before working half of the shift or working a second shift less than 2 hours. The employers have to pay the employees for the period they did not work under the California reporting time pay law. To gain a deeper understanding, let’s discuss more.
What are the requirements for reporting time pay?
As a California employee, you will get reporting time pay if your situation aligns with the law. The requirements of reporting time pay are:
- You were required to report to work
- You were not assigned to any work
- You were given less than half of your usual work shift
- Then you were sent home by the employer.
Exceptional Scenarios of Reporting Time Pay Laws
An employee will not be qualified to get California labor law reporting time pay in some specific situations. The exceptions of the law are discussed below.
- You can not ask for reporting time pay if the business has to close or can not open due to threats to workers or business property.
- If the business is closing because of a recommendation from a civil authority, you will be sent home without the reporting time pay.
- In the case of a public utility failure that affects the electricity, gas, water, or sewer systems, you will not get reporting time pay.
- When work is interrupted by a severe and sudden natural disaster that is beyond your employer’s control, you can demand reporting time pay then.
What can I do if my employer violates the California reporting time pay law?
File a wage and hour lawsuit
Wage and hour lawsuits claim unpaid wages and interest on the wage on behalf of the employees. It does not matter if your employer intentionally held back your payment or if he was not aware of the California reporting time pay law. But you need to keep in mind the statute of limitation of this law. You will have to claim unpaid reporting time pay within the 3 years of the last date when you did not get reporting time pay.
File a wage claim with DLSE
You can file a wage claim with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) regarding reporting time payment issues. It is also called the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, the division of the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). They deal with violations of labor laws and seek legal remedies for the clients.
File a retaliation complaint
If you demand unpaid wages from your employer and face retaliation as a consequence, you can file a retaliation complaint with the California Labor Commissioner. In this way, you can protest against the unfair treatment of your employer.
Final Words
California reporting time pay law is a timely addition to the California labor laws. You can seek legal help from employment attorneys if you deserve reporting time pay and the employer denies it.
Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/ Vitalii Vodolazskyi