Understand your rights as a worker

California has earned its reputation for being a state that is relatively friendly to workers.

The state has many laws that require employers to pay their workers’ wages timely and fairly and to provide a safe and healthy workplace.

Often, these laws go above and beyond the rights that workers have under federal law.

However, that does not mean that all California companies follow these laws.

Too often, employers outright violate their workers’ rights. These violations often happen quietly, as employers will rarely admit that they are breaking the law.

Instead, they may rely on certain common tricks and excuses that violate workers’ rights.

This is why it is so important for Pasadena workers to understand their rights and also to know what to do if an employer violates these rights.

After all, ultimately it is up to a worker to advocate for their own rights and the rights of their colleagues.

Without knowing what these rights are, employees in Southern California are prone to getting taken advantage of by employers who are willing to put profit over the well-being of their workers.

What are some of the basic rights California workers have?

California employees have many different rights.

The following are just some examples of the basic rights employees in California have.

• The right to be paid a minimum wage and overtime as required under California law. The employer must correctly figure out the wage and timely pay it.
• Related to this, workers have the right to be correctly classified. Employers cannot get around wage rules by improperly classifying their employees as independent contractors or as exempt from overtime rules.
• The right to breaks and mealtimes as California law requires.
• The right to appropriate medical leave. Some employees may even qualify for mandatory paid sick leave.
• The right to a safe workplace.
• Related to that point, the right to complain about safety problems without worrying about getting fired or facing other retaliation from an employer.
• The right to a workplace free of unlawful discrimination and harassment.

Many times, the answer to questions about an employee’s rights will depend on the worker’s circumstances.

If a worker in Sothern California feels like their employer has violated their rights, or if something their employer has done just does not feel fair, they may want to make sure they understand their legal options.