Minimum Wage Law

What is the minimum wage?

Minimum wage is generally the lowest wage employers are allowed to pay their employees, which varies under federal and state laws. If an employee is covered by both federal and state minumum wage law, he or she is entitled to the higher minimum wage.

Federal Minimum Wage - Effective July 24, 2009, federal law requires employers to pay their employees a minimum hourly wage of at least $7.25. Learn more about Federal Minimum Wage.

State Minimum Wage - Many states have their own minimum wage, which may be higher than the federal minimum wage. The California minimum wage is currently $8.00 an hour. Learn more about California Minimum Wage Law.

Minimum wage law violations

Unfortunately, not all employers comply with minimum wage requirements. Examples of minimum wage violations include:

Paying an employee less than the minimum wage;
Forcing employees to work for tips or commission alone; and
Deducting expenses such as the cost of equipment, uniforms, spills, breakage, or cash register shortages from an employee's paycheck so that their wages are less than the minimum wage.

Industries where minimum wage violations commonly occur include: restaurants, health care, agriculture, day care, hotels, and garment manufacturing.

Are you being paid less than minimum wage?

Think your employer violated minimum wage laws? Free and confidential evaluations are available with our employment attorneys by calling (866) 981-4800 or by filling out the form to the right.

Eric Gibbs

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Why Girard Gibbs LLP?

Girard Gibbs is a national litigation firm representing consumers, investors, employees, and small businesses in cases involving consumer protection, personal injury, securities, antitrust, and employment laws. The firm’s senior partners, Daniel Girard and Eric Gibbs, have been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 and Northern California Super Lawyers, and have earned AV-Preeminent ratings from Martindale-Hubbell, recognizing them in the highest class of attorneys for professional ethics and legal skills.