California Payday Frequency Laws 2024

How Frequently Must California Employers Pay Employees?

Like California, the majority of states have labor law regulations that require employers to pay employees on regularly scheduled paydays with a certain minimum frequency.

California employers are required to pay most hourly employees via a regular payday at least weekly, biweekly or semimonthly.

In California, the required frequency of payday depends on the occupation.

Exemptions from Payday Laws

Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), payday laws (and many other labor laws) were designed especially to protect hourly employees, rather than highly-compensated salaried employees. Therefore, payday laws often exempt or have looser requirements for employees considered to be "executives, professionals, or administrative employees". Outside salespeople, who are often paid on commission, are also often exempt from payday laws.

Other Payday Laws

In addition to regulating payday frequency, California has other labor laws regulating things such as payroll wage garnishment, payment methods (suh as check and direct deposit), vacation pay, and final payroll following termination.

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