Labor law encompasses a variety of areas such as overtime, commonly termed wage and hour law, discrimination, harassment, unlawful discharge, and retaliation, just to name a few. Some attorneys are more experienced in some areas than others. A labor lawyer is a general and somewhat generic term used for attorneys that work in the labor or employer and employee area of law. Labor law is a term used for a body of law that applies to employer and employee working conditions and relationships. In the early part of the 20th century when there were very few labor laws on the books, employees were routinely abused by their employers. Many were hurt on the job, discriminated against for a variety of reasons, and had little or no recourse. With the inception of a body of regulations under federal law and under the various state laws, employees began to realize protections that they never had in the past. In today’s working world, employers still continue to violate the law, but in many cases, it is not as apparent as it once was. Worker’s rights have made marked progress as employers attempt to comply with federal and state requirements to avoid potential litigation.

This is the reason it may be wise to consult with a skilled labor law attorney to review your situation. You may learn that the law has been violated and that you are entitled to compensation. On the other hand, your employer may not have violated the law, but still you may walk away armed with the knowledge of this labor law area, so you can take it with you and use it throughout your working career. California wage and hour laws may differ from federal wage and hour laws. They frequently afford even “stronger protections” to California employees, with the intent to both improve California working conditions and to insure that prevailing California overtime wages are paid in accordance with CA wage and hour laws.

Our Labor Law Resources section provides both federal and state of California information for our site’s visitors that we hope is beneficial. If you feel you have a legal matter you would like to discuss, our California wage and hour attorneys offer a free case evaluation.