Q: My employer has drastically lowered my hourly rate for the second time without warning. Said payroll made a "Mistake"
I have copies of pay stubs and four months ago I negotiated a raise for myself since my company had took over operations where I live and the pay was here locally was higher. I was countered with a better rate and now four months later it is now a "mistake." No effort will be made by employer California labor law states I need to be informed of a pay decrease in writing before the work is started. I was told about this mistake after the pay period when I notified my manager. Now my negotiated raise is a mistake.
A:
You should go to the Labor Commissioner's website and file a wage claim. Start by cutting and pasting the link into your browser here: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/HowToFileWageClaim.htm
Follow through with that process. The Labor Commissioner's job is to make sure all employees get the wages they were promised before they started work. That office will help you. Do not delay, because time is of the essence. In addition to that, you can search for an employment attorney at the California Employment Attorneys Association's website. Members of that organization know how to make sure you get paid at the rate you were promised, and also know how to use the law to get their fees paid by your employer if your story checks out. Whenever an employer cheats an employee out of wages, the law will compel them to pay all wages, plus any penalties which may accrue, plus interest on the past due wages. Save all your pay stubs and use them as evidence to support your claims.
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