Q: My husband past back in 2018 we got married in 2016. My question is if I can get any money from mother in law

A: You can do several things to recover money for work performed.

You could hire an attorney to make a demand and negotiate a settlement.

You could file an administrative wage claim with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.

You could file a lawsuit, and depending on how much money is involved, you could do that in small claims court or the superior court.

You need to move quickly because statutes of limitation will start causing you to lose some of your damages very soon, if not already.

At this point it would be a good idea to locate and consult with an experienced employment law attorney as soon as possible to explore your facts and determine your options. I would suggest you look either on this site, or go to www.cela.org, the home page for the California Employment Lawyers Association, an organization whose members are dedicated to the representation of employees against their employers.

Most employment attorneys who practice this area of law offer a free or low cost consultation in the beginning and then, if the matter has merit and value, will usually agree to work on a contingency basis, meaning you can hire an attorney without paying any money until the matter results in a positive outcome for you. Many advance all the costs of the litigation as well. Do not let fear of fees and costs keep you from finding a good attorney.

Good luck to you.

A: You are entitled to payment of at least minimum wage and the very limited credits against wages for room and board require a written agreement.

You will need to prepare an estimate of your hours worked and hopefully you have texts or other communications that confirm that you were working for your mother in law.