California Labor Commissioner wage claims
California’s state office for unpaid wages, overtime and missed breaks. File online, by email, by mail or in person. California labor laws protect workers regardless of immigration status. Most wage claims must be filed within 3 years.
Your next step
Write down your dates, hours, pay received and your employer’s name and address. Then file the wage claim online or at the nearest district office. Call 833-526-4636 for questions or an interpreter.
Questions to ask
- Which deadline applies to my claim?
- Can I get an interpreter for the conference or hearing?
- What records should I bring if I do not have pay stubs?
If this one cannot help
Other starting points for the same need:
- Legal Aid at Work: Free legal information and advice for low-income California workers about pay, discrimination, leave and retaliation, with help in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese and other languages. Call 415-864-8848 or start online.
- California EDD: Official unemployment information, job services, and guidance for navigating an existing claim.
- California worker rights regardless of immigration status: The California Department of Industrial Relations answers common questions from workers: labor laws apply equally to all workers regardless of immigration status, and employers may not retaliate by threatening to report a worker to immigration.
What this listing can tell you
The Labor Commissioner decides wage claims; DNLH does not calculate amounts or deadlines. Retaliation complaints use a separate form.
Do Not Lose Hope does not determine eligibility, appointments, or outcomes. A listing does not imply a partnership.
Official source & review
https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/howtofilewageclaim.htm
Source page checked: .
Official pages read on 2026-10-21 for service area, contact methods, cost, languages, intake and eligibility. Each field below names its source. Current openings and individual eligibility are not confirmed.
What the official pages say
- Service area
- California workers statewide; 19 district offices open to the public. Stated on the official page, checked October 21, 2026. Source
- How to contact
- 833-526-4636 for wages, breaks, retaliation and phone interpreters; district office walk-in hours vary. Stated on the official page, checked October 21, 2026. Source
- Cost
- No fee mentioned on the page. Not stated on the official page, checked October 21, 2026. Source
- Languages
- Phone interpreters on request; claim forms in multiple languages. Stated on the official page, checked October 21, 2026. Source
- How to start
- Online, email, mail or in person; settlement conference, then hearing if needed. Stated on the official page, checked October 21, 2026. Source
- Stated limits
- All workers, regardless of immigration status. Deadlines: 3 years for most wage claims, 4 for a written contract, 2 for an oral promise above minimum wage, 1 for bounced-check or records penalties. Stated on the official page, checked October 21, 2026. Source
Current openings and whether you qualify are not confirmed. Ask the organization.
How we check sourcesGuides on this topic
- Wage ClaimYou worked. You should be paid. If your employer owes you pay, the California Labor Commissioner can help you get it back. You do not need a lawyer, and the office does not ask about your immigration status. Here is what to gather, how to file, and what happens next.
- Final PaycheckYour job ended. Your last paycheck has a deadline, and California law sets it. Fired or laid off? Your pay is due that same day. Quit? It depends on how much notice you gave. Paid late? Your employer may owe you extra. Here is when your money is due and what to do if it does not come.
- Overtime payMost workers in California earn overtime after 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week, whatever their immigration status and however they are paid. Here is how to tell if you are owed it, how to count it, and how to get back what you were not paid.