Practice areas / Wage and Hour
Unpaid Wages & Overtime Lawyer in Southern California
California's wage laws are among the strongest in the country, and the penalties for breaking them add up fast. If your paycheck does not reflect the hours you worked or the breaks you were owed, you may be entitled to recover far more than the missing wages.
$3,000,000
No. 1 Riverside County employment verdict, 2023
13 yrs
Representing California workers since 2013
$0
Consultation is free, and confidential
Verdict obtained with co-counsel Jared M. Irmas of Irmas Law APC. Listed by TopVerdict.com. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Tell Justin what happened
You'll hear back within one business day, or call 818-585-1267.
Recognized by
Written and reviewed by Justin Silverman
CA Bar #292036 · Reviewed July 2026
Does this sound like you?
If one of these describes your situation, it is worth a conversation. If none of them quite fit, call anyway, because the list is not exhaustive.
- Unpaid overtime, or overtime miscalculated by leaving out bonuses
- Working through meal or rest breaks with no premium pay
- Off-the-clock work before or after your shift
- A late or missing final paycheck after leaving a job
- Misclassified as a 1099 contractor or as a salaried exempt employee
What the law protects
Employees are generally entitled to at least the minimum wage, daily and weekly overtime, duty-free meal and rest breaks, accurate pay stubs, expense reimbursement, and timely final pay. Missed breaks carry a premium of one hour of pay per day.
A late final paycheck can cost an employer up to 30 days of your wages.
Common violations include misclassifying employees as exempt or as independent contractors, forcing work through breaks, shaving time, and failing to reimburse business expenses. Many of these can be pursued for a group of employees as well.
What you may be able to recover
Wage claims can recover the unpaid wages themselves plus interest, break premiums, statutory penalties, and, for minimum wage and overtime, your attorney's fees. Because the law shifts fees to the employer, these cases are often worth pursuing even when the unpaid amount alone would not justify the cost.
| What | Covers |
|---|---|
| Unpaid wages | The wages themselves, plus interest |
| Break premiums | For missed meal and rest periods |
| Statutory penalties | Set by the wage statute at issue |
| Attorney's fees | For minimum wage and overtime claims |
How long you have
These are the dates that can end a case before anyone looks at what happened to you. Many claims have two. One to tell a government agency, and a second to file in court after that agency responds.
- Recover unpaid overtime or minimum wage
- 3 years
- Recover the extra hour of pay for missed breaks
- 3 years
- Claim penalties for inaccurate pay stubs
- 1 year
- Reach further back for unpaid wages, another route
- 4 years
- Claim penalties for yourself and other workers
- 1 year
These are the general limits, not advice about your situation. Exceptions can make them shorter or longer, and the clock does not always start on the day you think. If you are close to one of these, or you think you are already past it, it is still worth asking.
Working with Justin
- 1The call. You speak with Justin, not an intake screener. It is free and confidential.
- 2The review. He tells you which lines your facts cross, and which they do not.
- 3The case. You reach him directly, by phone and email, throughout.
Key points
Each point is explained and sourced above · Verified July 28, 2026
Key points from Unpaid Wages & Overtime Lawyer in Southern California, verified as of July 28, 2026
Unpaid wages · California
The wages themselves, plus interest
Break premiums · California
For missed meal and rest periods
Statutory penalties · California
Set by the wage statute at issue
Attorney's fees · California
For minimum wage and overtime claims
Recover unpaid overtime or minimum wage · Deadline to act
3 years
See How long you have, above
Recover the extra hour of pay for missed breaks · Deadline to act
3 years
See How long you have, above
Claim penalties for inaccurate pay stubs · Deadline to act
1 year
See How long you have, above
Reach further back for unpaid wages, another route · Deadline to act
4 years
See How long you have, above
Claim penalties for yourself and other workers · Deadline to act
1 year
See How long you have, above
Questions workers ask
Do you only take cases in Southern California?
No. Justin represents workers anywhere in California. These pages speak to Southern California because that is where the office is, but where in the state you work does not decide whether he can take your case.
Does an arbitration agreement end my case?
Usually not. Employers often make arbitration a condition of employment and those agreements are frequently enforceable, though not always. Arbitration changes where your case is heard, not whether you have a case, and certain representative claims for Labor Code penalties cannot be waived.
What does it cost to hire Justin?
The consultation is free, and these cases are handled on a contingency basis. There is no fee unless we win, and if there is no recovery you owe no costs either.
Will my employer find out I called?
The consultation is confidential. Talking through what happened does not put your employer on notice, and nothing is filed because you called.
Other ways I help workers
All nine practice areas →Employment Issues
The full range of California employment disputes, handled for workers, not employers.
Wrongful Termination
At-will doesn’t mean an employer can fire you for an unlawful reason.
Retaliation and Whistleblower
Punished for speaking up? Retaliation can be a claim of its own.
Contracts and Severance
Before you sign a severance or non-compete, know what’s enforceable in California.
Over $12 million recovered for clients. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. This page is general information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. You can reach the office at 818-585-1267.