Maybe you were let go the day after you complained. Maybe your final check never came, your daily overtime vanished, or you never got the meal and rest breaks California law owes you. California gives workers some of the strongest protections in the country — daily overtime, break premiums, no FEHA damages cap — but most of those rights run on a clock, and the shortest one is just one year. You don't need money or a web form to find out where you stand. Call 1-844-690-0555 right now and talk it through, free, 24/7, in plain English or Spanish. It's legal information to help you act fast — not legal advice, and the call creates no attorney-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender.
Free legal information. Not legal advice. Available 24/7 across California.
Write down dates and dollars before you cool off. Note your last day worked, the exact day any adverse action happened (firing, demotion, write-up), and roughly what you're owed — unpaid daily-overtime hours, missed meal/rest breaks, the final paycheck. Two clocks may already be running: a retaliation complaint to the Labor Commissioner must be filed within ONE year of the adverse action, and your final wages were legally due immediately if you were fired (or within 72 hours if you quit without notice) — every late day can add a Labor Code § 203 penalty. Save pay stubs, texts, schedules, and termination emails to your personal phone or email now, before you lose access to a work account. Then call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll tell you which deadline is closest.
Here's what blindsides people. You can have a rock-solid story — fired a week after you reported wage theft or unsafe work — and still lose it, because a retaliation complaint to the Labor Commissioner must be filed within ONE year of the adverse action. That's far shorter than the 3-year window for a FEHA discrimination claim or the 3-year wage-claim window, and people assume they all run the same. Since January 2024, a separate rule (SB 497) even presumes retaliation if you're punished within 90 days of protected activity like complaining about pay or reporting a legal violation — that shifts the burden to your employer, but only if you file in time. The clock starts the day they acted, not the day you realized it was illegal. If you were punished for speaking up, don't sit on it. Call 1-844-690-0555 now and find out exactly how many days you have left.
If you'd rather start on your own, or you need free help and a referral, these are real, verified California resources — several built specifically for workers. The phone call can point you to the right one for your situation, but here they are directly:
I was fired the week after I complained about not being paid overtime. Is that legal in California?
Probably not. California protects workers from retaliation for asserting wage rights (Labor Code § 98.6), and since January 2024 a firing within 90 days of your protected complaint is presumed retaliatory under SB 497 — the burden shifts to your employer to prove a legitimate reason. But the retaliation complaint to the Labor Commissioner has a tight one-year deadline from the day you were fired. Don't guess at the math. Call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll tell you how much time you have and which track fits.
My job is 'at-will.' Doesn't that mean they can fire me for any reason?
At-will (Labor Code § 2922) means either side can usually end the job without cause — but it has hard limits. They can't fire you for a protected characteristic, for whistleblowing (§ 1102.5), for complaining about your pay (§ 98.6), or in violation of public policy (a 'Tameny' claim). 'At-will' is not a license to break the law, and employers often hide an illegal reason behind it. To find out whether your firing fits an exception, call 1-844-690-0555 for free, 24/7.
My final paycheck still hasn't arrived. What can I do in California?
California is strict here: if you were fired or laid off, your final wages were due immediately; if you quit without notice, within 72 hours. When an employer willfully misses that, Labor Code § 203 makes your daily wage keep running as a penalty for up to 30 days — that can be thousands on top of what you're already owed. You can file a free wage claim with the Labor Commissioner. Call 1-844-690-0555 first and we'll walk you through it.
How does California overtime actually work — is it just over 40 hours a week?
No, and this trips up a lot of workers. Under Labor Code § 510, California pays daily overtime: time-and-a-half after 8 hours in a single day, and double-time after 12 hours in a day (plus premium pay on a 7th consecutive workday). So you can be owed overtime even in a week under 40 hours. If your paychecks don't reflect that, call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll help you figure out what you're owed — free.
I never get my lunch or rest breaks. Is that worth anything?
Yes — and it adds up fast. Under §§ 512 and 226.7, a missed meal break (for shifts over 5 hours) owes you one extra hour of pay for that day, and a missed rest break owes you another. Both can run the same day, every day you worked. Over months that becomes a serious sum, and it drives a lot of California class and PAGA cases. Call 1-844-690-0555 to talk through whether your break problems are claimable.
What is PAGA, and does it apply to me?
PAGA — the Private Attorneys General Act (Labor Code §§ 2698–2699) — is unique to California. It lets you, as an 'aggrieved employee,' sue for civil penalties for Labor Code violations on behalf of the state and your coworkers, not just yourself. It was overhauled in 2024 (AB 2288 / SB 92), changing the penalty tiers and raising the worker share to 35%. It requires a written notice to the employer and the state first, and has a one-year window to start. It's powerful but technical — call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll explain whether it could fit your situation.
I was discriminated against because of my race, gender, or disability. Where do I file in California?
California's FEHA (Gov. Code § 12940) is broader than federal law — its discrimination protections cover employers with just 5+ employees (harassment protections apply to employers of any size), it protects more characteristics, and it has no damages cap. You file first with the Civil Rights Department (CRD, formerly DFEH) and get a right-to-sue notice before going to Superior Court. The window to file with CRD is three years from the unlawful act. To understand your options and deadlines, call 1-844-690-0555 — free and confidential.
How long do I have to bring an employment claim in California?
It depends entirely on the claim, and the gaps are big. Retaliation complaints to the Labor Commissioner: one year. Wage claims (unpaid wages, overtime, break premiums): three years (four on a written contract). FEHA discrimination complaints with the CRD: three years (then one year to sue after your right-to-sue notice). Wrongful termination in violation of public policy: two years (Code Civ. Proc. § 335.1). Missing the wrong one can sink a strong case. Call 1-844-690-0555 and we'll pin down which clock matters most for you.
Do I need money or a lawyer to start an employment claim in California?
No. The Labor Commissioner's wage-claim process is free and designed to work without a lawyer — you get a 'Berman hearing,' an informal evidentiary hearing, and an official decision you can collect on. And for court cases, § 1194 and FEHA make a losing employer pay a winning worker's attorney's fees, which is why many lawyers take these on contingency. The phone call costs nothing either. Call 1-844-690-0555, 24/7.
My employer handed me a severance agreement and wants me to sign today. Should I?
Be careful. Severance and 'release of all claims' documents often ask you to waive valuable rights — and although California (Labor Code § 206.5) bars forcing you to release wages actually owed, releases can still cost you FEHA, overtime, or potential PAGA claims, sometimes for less than your case is worth. There's rarely a real reason it must be signed on the spot. Before you sign anything, get the lay of the land. Call 1-844-690-0555 for free information on what you might be giving up, then decide.
Does Legal Hotline represent me, and is this legal advice?
No. Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender, and the call gives you legal information — not legal advice — and creates no attorney-client relationship. What it does is help you understand your situation fast, flag the deadline that's closest, and, if you want, connect you with a California-licensed employment attorney. Call 1-844-690-0555, free, 24/7, in English or Spanish.
Are you a California-licensed employment lawyer who represents workers? We connect frightened, time-pressured Californians — facing wrongful termination, unpaid wages, missed-break and overtime claims, retaliation, and FEHA matters — with attorneys who can help. If you'd like to receive referrals as our network grows, get in touch about joining. (This is a path for attorneys; clients should simply call the free line above.)
General legal information, not legal advice. We research every page from primary sources — legislation, the courts, and government legal-aid bodies — and check it for accuracy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at admin@platfirm.ai.
Whatever happened at your job — fired for speaking up, shorted on daily overtime, denied breaks, pushed out for who you are — California law may be squarely on your side, but only if you act before the clock runs out, and the retaliation clock is just one year. You don't need money, an email address, or a lawyer to find out where you stand. Call 1-844-690-0555 right now: free, 24/7, in English or Spanish. It's legal information to help you move fast — not legal advice, and it creates no attorney-client relationship. Legal Hotline is not a law firm and not a public defender. Make the call before another day comes off the clock.
Free legal information. Not legal advice.