California employment law gives you many rights as a worker

People talk about employee rights often, but have you ever wondered what state law says about these rights? We have found that some workers in Southern California have a poor understanding of how they can and cannot be treated in the workplace.

Unfortunately, this lack of knowledge keeps many employees in poor work environments because they do not realize they have legal options. We believe education is the key in helping workers identify mistreatment and taking steps to bring such treatment to a stop.

An overview of your basic employee rights

People talk about employee rights often, but have you ever wondered what state law says about these rights? We have found that some workers in Southern California have a poor understanding of how they can and cannot be treated in the workplace.

Unfortunately, this lack of knowledge keeps many employees in poor work environments because they do not realize they have legal options. We believe education is the key in helping workers identify mistreatment and taking steps to bring such treatment to a stop.

An overview of your basic employee rights

According to the state Department of Industrial Relationships, all Californians have the following worker rights.

• A fair wage for your services. At this time, the minimum wage enforced by state lawmakers is $13 to $14 per hour, depending on how many workers a business employs.
• Appropriate rest and meal breaks. Employees must receive a paid 10-minute rest break every four hours. They must also receive a 30-minute meal break after working five hours.
• A safe working environment. The law mandates that employers keep their workers as safe as possible by identifying and correcting hazardous conditions.
• Injury and illness remedies. State workers (with few exceptions) have the right to file a workers’ comp claim if they suffer an on-the-job injury or illness.
• Labor law violation remedies. You also have the right to take action if your employer violates your rights. No employer may discriminate or retaliate against workers that choose to exercise their rights.

Consider increasing your education about all wage, hour and labor laws to ensure you remain protected in any California job environment.