California Labor Department – Wage Theft Claims and Judgments – 4th Quarter 2023 

The California Department of Industrial Relations maintains a database of wage theft claims presented to the office by employees, and Wage Claim Judgments against individuals and corporations. We have reviewed this database for judgments from October 1st to December 31st, the last quarter of 2023. 

When a wage claim judgment occurs, the information about the defendant, the amount, and their industry is made public. When a wage claim is filed, the Labor Commissioner’s Office investigates the claim and publicly shares information about the name of the organization, the date of the claim, and again information categorizing the company or work by industry and location. 

If you believe you are not being paid for all the time you worked, or are not being paid overtime due, or are misclassified as exempt, we invite you to schedule a consultation with an employment lawyer at Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky LLP. Schneider Wallace is a national law firm that represents employees in a wide range of employment law cases, including California employment lawsuits involving the failure to pay wages, overtime pay and commissions. Contact us at 1-800-689-0024. 

California Wage Claim Judgments for October, November, December 2023 

California reported 432 judgments for the 2nd quarter of 2023, after excluding duplicates with the same judgement number (Ex: J-012345). Data as of April 22nd, 2024. The total value of all judgments was $14,129,000. 

The Department of Industrial Relations records judgments by industry. Motion Picture and Video Industries had the largest number of judgments as a category with 33.  

Full Service Restaurants had the largest total judgement value at $2,214,000. 

Food service can be categorized under multiple industries and is a large source of wage claims.  Adding together “Full-Service Restaurants” with “Restaurants and Other Eating Places” results in 53 judgements  judgments totaling $3.02 million. 

The largest individual Wage Claim Judgment listed was $1.797 million in the Apparel Manufacturing industry. 

California Wage Claim Judgments 4th Quarter 2023, By Industry 

2023 California Wage Claim Judgments, by Industry, ranked by judgment value (minimum $250,000): 

 2nd Quarter California Wage Claim Judgments, by Industry, ranked by total judgments (minimum: 10):  

 California Wage Claim Judgments Q4 2023, By Labor Office 

October, November, December California Wage Claim Judgments by Labor Office, by number of judgements  and judgement value:  

 Most judgments come from Wage Claim Adjudication (WCA) offices. WCA offices’ investigate claims by workers, including missed overtime, vacation pay, or wages. 

The Bureau of Field Enforcement (BOFE) is responsible for enforcement of laws covering worker’s compensation insurance, cash payments, child labor and unlicensed contractors. 

The Los Angeles Garment office focuses on the local garment industry. The garment industry has a history of wage violations.  The U.S. Department of Labor recently released results of their own investigation of the garment industry in Southern California. 

California Wage Claims, Q4 2023 

The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) reported 8,158 new wage claims cases in Q4 of 2023. 

Employees can report wage claims such as lost wages, unpaid wages, unpaid overtime or commissions to the DIR, or employees can contact an attorney to assist with a claim.   

Schneider Wallace specializes in representing large numbers of workers with wage claims, through class actions and private attorney general act (PAGA) claims, and is proud to have represented workers in some of the largest class actions in the state. 

Schneider Wallace Cottrell Konecky LLP is a premier California wage attorney law firm, ready to review your claim for free and offer assistance if you were underpaid. Schneider Wallace has recovered millions for California workers and maintains a large practice of employment lawyers investigating wage theft. Contact us at 1-800-689-0024. 

Fourth quarter 2023 California DIR Wage Claims, by Industry (50 or more individual claims): 

Restaurants lead with 381 wage claim cases opened, followed by Construction with 380 unique claims.  

“Restaurants and Other Eating Places” and “Full Service Restaurants” are added as similar job types under different official categories, with a total of 672 claims for unpaid wages October 1st, 2023 through December 31st, 2023. 

Other industries with frequent wage claims appear on the list including security guards, delivery drivers, truck drivers, ambulatory services and ambulance drivers, health care services, and hospital staff including nurses. 

Common issues related to under payment of wages include working before or after a shift off the clock, sometimes due to requirements such as bag checks, working during breaks without receiving penalty bonus pay, working during an unpaid lunch without receiving a paid lunch and bonus pay, and misclassification of workers as either temporary without benefits or exempt from overtime.   

The Supreme Court of California recently ruled in favor of workers time being counted if they are subject to bag or car inspection at the end of a shift.

Failure to Pay Wages, Overtime and Commissions 

California state law and federal law regulate payment of minimum wage, overtime and commissions. 

Right to pay can be complicated by unique employment relationships, such as independent contractors, tipped workers or commission-based positions. In addition, matters concerning deductions, holidays, meal periods and rest periods often arise. 

Legal Consult with Experienced Employment Lawyers 

Consult with Schneider Wallace to resolve wage claims and employment disputes. We invite you to schedule a consultation with an employment law attorney in our Bay Area and Los Angeles, California offices.