California Labor Code section 232 prohibits employers from preventing employees from disclosing or discussing their wages. An employer who maintains a pay secrecy policy, disciplines an employee for discussing compensation, or retaliates against an employee for asking coworkers about their salary is violating state law — regardless of any confidentiality clause in the offer letter or handbook.

California Wage Orders entitle non-exempt employees to an uninterrupted 30-minute meal period for every shift exceeding five hours, and a second meal period for shifts exceeding ten hours. Employees are also entitled to a paid 10-minute rest period for every four hours worked. When an employer fails to provide a required period, the employee is entitled to one additional hour of pay at the regular rate for each missed period — premium wages that must be paid on the next regular payday.

California Labor Code section 226 requires that every wage statement include: gross wages earned, total hours worked, all deductions, net wages, the inclusive dates of the pay period, the employee's name and last four digits of their social security number or employee ID, the employer's legal name and address, and all applicable hourly rates and corresponding hours worked.

Failure to include any of these items entitles the employee to statutory penalties of $50 for the first pay period violation and $100 for each subsequent violation, up to a maximum of $4,000 per employee, in addition to actual damages. These penalties are cumulative — an employee who received deficient paystubs over many pay periods may reach the $4,000 cap.

When an employer discharges an employee, California law requires that all earned and unpaid wages — including accrued but unused vacation pay — be paid immediately at the time of termination. An employee who resigns with at least 72 hours of notice is entitled to final pay on the last day of work; one who resigns without notice is entitled to final pay within 72 hours. When an employer willfully fails to pay final wages on time, waiting time penalties accrue at the employee's daily rate of pay for up to 30 days. Employers who hold final paychecks as leverage or condition them on the return of equipment are violating California law.

California Civil Code section 47(c) provides a qualified privilege for communications by an employer to a prospective employer regarding job performance or qualifications, if made without malice. A former employer may truthfully state that an employee was terminated for cause or would not be eligible for rehire — but false or malicious statements can give rise to defamation liability. Employers may not disclose medical information, workers' compensation history, or other protected categories without employee consent.

California employees have the right to work in an environment free from recognized safety hazards, and the right to report safety violations to Cal/OSHA without fear of retaliation. Labor Code section 132a makes it an unlawful employment practice to discriminate against an employee for filing or pursuing a workers' compensation claim. Labor Code section 6310 prohibits retaliation for Cal/OSHA safety complaints.

Under California Labor Code section 1198.5, employees and former employees have the right to inspect and receive a copy of their personnel records — including performance evaluations, disciplinary records, and documents related to any adverse employment action — within 30 days of a written request. This right is particularly valuable when evaluating a potential wrongful termination or retaliation claim.