AB 2535: Employment: wages: itemized statements.
- Session Year: 2015-2016
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2016-07-22
Existing law requires an employer to provide his or her employee an accurate itemized statement in writing containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages. That specified information includes showing total hours worked by the employee, unless the employees compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under a specified statute or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
This bill would additionally exempt from that requirement for information on total work hours an employee exempt from payment of minimum wage and overtime under specified statutes or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
Existing law requires an employer to provide his or her employee an accurate itemized statement in writing containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages. That specified information includes showing total hours worked by the employee, unless the employees compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under a specified statute or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
This bill would additionally exempt from that requirement for information on total work hours an employee exempt from payment of minimum wage and overtime under specified statutes or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
Existing law requires an employer to provide his or her employee an accurate itemized statement in writing containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages. That specified information includes showing total hours worked by the employee, unless the employees compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under a specified statute or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
This bill would additionally exempt from that requirement for information on total work hours an employee exempt from payment of minimum wage and overtime whose compensation is not based in whole or in part on hours worked. under specified statutes or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
Existing law requires an employer to provide his or her employee an accurate itemized statement in writing containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages. That specified information includes showing total hours worked by the employee, unless the employees compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under a specified statute or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to that requirement. additionally exempt from that requirement for information on total work hours an employee exempt from payment of minimum wage and overtime whose compensation is not based in whole or in part on hours worked.
Existing law requires an employer to provide his or her employee an itemized statement containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages.
This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to that requirement.
(a)An employer, semimonthly or at the time of each payment of wages, shall furnish to his or her employee, either as a detachable part of the check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, or separately if wages are paid by personal check or cash, an accurate itemized statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked by the employee, except as provided in subdivision (j), (3) the number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece rate if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis, (4) all deductions, provided that all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item, (5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number, (8) the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the employee and, beginning July 1, 2013, if the employer is a temporary services employer as defined in Section 201.3, the rate of pay and the total hours worked for each temporary services assignment. The deductions made from payment of wages shall be recorded in ink or other indelible form, properly dated, showing the month, day, and year, and a copy of the statement and the record of the deductions shall be kept on file by the employer for at least three years at the place of employment or at a central location within the State of California. For purposes of this subdivision, copy includes a duplicate of the itemized statement provided to an employee or a computer-generated record that accurately shows all of the information required by this subdivision.
(b)An employer that is required by this code or any regulation adopted pursuant to this code to keep the information required by subdivision (a) shall afford current and former employees the right to inspect or copy records pertaining to their employment, upon reasonable request to the employer. The employer may take reasonable steps to ensure the identity of a current or former employee. If the employer provides copies of the records, the actual cost of reproduction may be charged to the current or former employee.
(c)An employer who receives a written or oral request to inspect or copy records pursuant to subdivision (b) pertaining to a current or former employee shall comply with the request as soon as practicable, but no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the request. A violation of this subdivision is an infraction. Impossibility of performance, not caused by or a result of a violation of law, shall be an affirmative defense for an employer in any action alleging a violation of this subdivision. An employer may designate the person to whom a request under this subdivision will be made.
(d)This section does not apply to any employer of any person employed by the owner or occupant of a residential dwelling whose duties are incidental to the ownership, maintenance, or use of the dwelling, including the care and supervision of children, or whose duties are personal and not in the course of the trade, business, profession, or occupation of the owner or occupant.
(e)(1)An employee suffering injury as a result of a knowing and intentional failure by an employer to comply with subdivision (a) is entitled to recover the greater of all actual damages or fifty dollars ($50) for the initial pay period in which a violation occurs and one hundred dollars ($100) per employee for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of four thousand dollars ($4,000), and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(2)(A)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide a wage statement.
(B)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide accurate and complete information as required by any one or more of items (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a) and the employee cannot promptly and easily determine from the wage statement alone one or more of the following:
(i)The amount of the gross wages or net wages paid to the employee during the pay period or any of the other information required to be provided on the itemized wage statement pursuant to items (2) to (4), inclusive, (6), and (9) of subdivision (a).
(ii)Which deductions the employer made from gross wages to determine the net wages paid to the employee during the pay period. Nothing in this subdivision alters the ability of the employer to aggregate deductions consistent with the requirements of item (4) of subdivision (a).
(iii)The name and address of the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer during the pay period.
(iv)The name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number.
(C)For purposes of this paragraph, promptly and easily determine means a reasonable person would be able to readily ascertain the information without reference to other documents or information.
(3)For purposes of this subdivision, a knowing and intentional failure does not include an isolated and unintentional payroll error due to a clerical or inadvertent mistake. In reviewing for compliance with this section, the factfinder may consider as a relevant factor whether the employer, prior to an alleged violation, has adopted and is in compliance with a set of policies, procedures, and practices that fully comply with this section.
(f)A failure by an employer to permit a current or former employee to inspect or copy records within the time set forth in subdivision (c) entitles the current or former employee or the Labor Commissioner to recover a seven-hundred-fifty-dollar ($750) penalty from the employer.
(g)The listing by an employer of the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer in the itemized statement required by subdivision (a) shall not create any liability on the part of that legal entity.
(h)An employee may also bring an action for injunctive relief to ensure compliance with this section, and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(i)This section does not apply to the state, to any city, county, city and county, district, or to any other governmental entity, except that if the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity furnishes its employees with a check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity shall use no more than the last four digits of the employees social security number or shall use an employee identification number other than the social security number on the itemized statement provided with the check, draft, or voucher.
(j)An itemized wage statement furnished by an employer pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be required to show total hours worked by the employee if any of the following apply:
(1)The employees compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of Section 515 or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(2)The employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under any of the following:
(A)The exemption for persons employed in an executive, administrative, or professional capacity provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(B)The exemption for outside salespersons provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(C)The overtime exemption for computer software professionals paid on a salaried basis provided in Section 515.5.
(D)The exemption for individuals who are the parent, spouse, child, or legally adopted child of the employer provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(E)The exemption for participants, director, and staff of a live-in alternative to incarceration rehabilitation program with special focus on substance abusers provided in Section 8002 of the Penal Code.
(F)The exemption for any crew member employed on a commercial passenger fishing boat licensed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 7920) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 6 of the Fish and Game Code provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(G)The exemption for any individual participating in a national service program provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(a)An employer, semimonthly or at the time of each payment of wages, shall furnish to his or her employee, either as a detachable part of the check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, or separately if wages are paid by personal check or cash, an accurate itemized statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked by the employee, except as provided in subdivision (j), (3) the number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece rate if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis, (4) all deductions, provided that all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item, (5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number, (8) the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the employee and, beginning July 1, 2013, if the employer is a temporary services employer as defined in Section 201.3, the rate of pay and the total hours worked for each temporary services assignment. The deductions made from payment of wages shall be recorded in ink or other indelible form, properly dated, showing the month, day, and year, and a copy of the statement and the record of the deductions shall be kept on file by the employer for at least three years at the place of employment or at a central location within the State of California. For purposes of this subdivision, copy includes a duplicate of the itemized statement provided to an employee or a computer-generated record that accurately shows all of the information required by this subdivision.
(b)An employer that is required by this code or any regulation adopted pursuant to this code to keep the information required by subdivision (a) shall afford current and former employees the right to inspect or copy records pertaining to their employment, upon reasonable request to the employer. The employer may take reasonable steps to ensure the identity of a current or former employee. If the employer provides copies of the records, the actual cost of reproduction may be charged to the current or former employee.
(c)An employer who receives a written or oral request to inspect or copy records pursuant to subdivision (b) pertaining to a current or former employee shall comply with the request as soon as practicable, but no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the request. A violation of this subdivision is an infraction. Impossibility of performance, not caused by or a result of a violation of law, shall be an affirmative defense for an employer in any action alleging a violation of this subdivision. An employer may designate the person to whom a request under this subdivision will be made.
(d)This section does not apply to any employer of any person employed by the owner or occupant of a residential dwelling whose duties are incidental to the ownership, maintenance, or use of the dwelling, including the care and supervision of children, or whose duties are personal and not in the course of the trade, business, profession, or occupation of the owner or occupant.
(e)(1)An employee suffering injury as a result of a knowing and intentional failure by an employer to comply with subdivision (a) is entitled to recover the greater of all actual damages or fifty dollars ($50) for the initial pay period in which a violation occurs and one hundred dollars ($100) per employee for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of four thousand dollars ($4,000), and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(2)(A)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide a wage statement.
(B)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide accurate and complete information as required by any one or more of items (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a) and the employee cannot promptly and easily determine from the wage statement alone one or more of the following:
(i)The amount of the gross wages or net wages paid to the employee during the pay period or any of the other information required to be provided on the itemized wage statement pursuant to items (2) to (4), inclusive, (6), and (9) of subdivision (a).
(ii)Which deductions the employer made from gross wages to determine the net wages paid to the employee during the pay period. Nothing in this subdivision alters the ability of the employer to aggregate deductions consistent with the requirements of item (4) of subdivision (a).
(iii)The name and address of the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer during the pay period.
(iv)The name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number.
(C)For purposes of this paragraph, promptly and easily determine means a reasonable person would be able to readily ascertain the information without reference to other documents or information.
(3)For purposes of this subdivision, a knowing and intentional failure does not include an isolated and unintentional payroll error due to a clerical or inadvertent mistake. In reviewing for compliance with this section, the factfinder may consider as a relevant factor whether the employer, prior to an alleged violation, has adopted and is in compliance with a set of policies, procedures, and practices that fully comply with this section.
(f)A failure by an employer to permit a current or former employee to inspect or copy records within the time set forth in subdivision (c) entitles the current or former employee or the Labor Commissioner to recover a seven-hundred-fifty-dollar ($750) penalty from the employer.
(g)The listing by an employer of the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer in the itemized statement required by subdivision (a) shall not create any liability on the part of that legal entity.
(h)An employee may also bring an action for injunctive relief to ensure compliance with this section, and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(i)This section does not apply to the state, to any city, county, city and county, district, or to any other governmental entity, except that if the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity furnishes its employees with a check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity shall use no more than the last four digits of the employees social security number or shall use an employee identification number other than the social security number on the itemized statement provided with the check, draft, or voucher.
(j)An itemized wage statement furnished by an employer pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be required to show total hours worked by the employee if any of the following apply:
(1)The employees compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of Section 515 or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(2)The employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under any of the following:
(A)The exemption for persons employed in an executive, administrative, or professional capacity provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(B)The exemption for outside salespersons provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(C)The overtime exemption for computer software professionals paid on a salaried basis provided in Section 515.5.
(D)The exemption for individuals who are the parent, spouse, child, or legally adopted child of the employer provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(E)The exemption for participants, director, and staff of a live-in alternative to incarceration rehabilitation program with special focus on substance abusers provided in Section 8002 of the Penal Code.
(F)The exemption for any crew member employed on a commercial passenger fishing boat licensed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 7920) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 6 of the Fish and Game Code provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(G)The exemption for any individual participating in a national service program provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(a)An employer, semimonthly or at the time of each payment of wages, shall furnish to his or her employee, either as a detachable part of the check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, or separately if wages are paid by personal check or cash, an accurate itemized statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked by the employee, unless the employee is exempt from payment of minimum wage and overtime and the employees compensation is not based in whole or in part on hours worked or the employees compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of Section 515 or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission, except as provided in subdivision (j), (3) the number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece rate if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis, (4) all deductions, provided that all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item, (5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number, (8) the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the employee and, beginning July 1, 2013, if the employer is a temporary services employer as defined in Section 201.3, the rate of pay and the total hours worked for each temporary services assignment. The deductions made from payment of wages shall be recorded in ink or other indelible form, properly dated, showing the month, day, and year, and a copy of the statement and the record of the deductions shall be kept on file by the employer for at least three years at the place of employment or at a central location within the State of California. For purposes of this subdivision, copy includes a duplicate of the itemized statement provided to an employee or a computer-generated record that accurately shows all of the information required by this subdivision.
(b)An employer that is required by this code or any regulation adopted pursuant to this code to keep the information required by subdivision (a) shall afford current and former employees the right to inspect or copy records pertaining to their employment, upon reasonable request to the employer. The employer may take reasonable steps to ensure the identity of a current or former employee. If the employer provides copies of the records, the actual cost of reproduction may be charged to the current or former employee.
(c)An employer who receives a written or oral request to inspect or copy records pursuant to subdivision (b) pertaining to a current or former employee shall comply with the request as soon as practicable, but no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the request. A violation of this subdivision is an infraction. Impossibility of performance, not caused by or a result of a violation of law, shall be an affirmative defense for an employer in any action alleging a violation of this subdivision. An employer may designate the person to whom a request under this subdivision will be made.
(d)This section does not apply to any employer of any person employed by the owner or occupant of a residential dwelling whose duties are incidental to the ownership, maintenance, or use of the dwelling, including the care and supervision of children, or whose duties are personal and not in the course of the trade, business, profession, or occupation of the owner or occupant.
(e)(1)An employee suffering injury as a result of a knowing and intentional failure by an employer to comply with subdivision (a) is entitled to recover the greater of all actual damages or fifty dollars ($50) for the initial pay period in which a violation occurs and one hundred dollars ($100) per employee for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of four thousand dollars ($4,000), and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(2)(A)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide a wage statement.
(B)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide accurate and complete information as required by any one or more of items (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a) and the employee cannot promptly and easily determine from the wage statement alone one or more of the following:
(i)The amount of the gross wages or net wages paid to the employee during the pay period or any of the other information required to be provided on the itemized wage statement pursuant to items (2) to (4), inclusive, (6), and (9) of subdivision (a).
(ii)Which deductions the employer made from gross wages to determine the net wages paid to the employee during the pay period. Nothing in this subdivision alters the ability of the employer to aggregate deductions consistent with the requirements of item (4) of subdivision (a).
(iii)The name and address of the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer during the pay period.
(iv)The name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number.
(C)For purposes of this paragraph, promptly and easily determine means a reasonable person would be able to readily ascertain the information without reference to other documents or information.
(3)For purposes of this subdivision, a knowing and intentional failure does not include an isolated and unintentional payroll error due to a clerical or inadvertent mistake. In reviewing for compliance with this section, the factfinder may consider as a relevant factor whether the employer, prior to an alleged violation, has adopted and is in compliance with a set of policies, procedures, and practices that fully comply with this section.
(f)A failure by an employer to permit a current or former employee to inspect or copy records within the time set forth in subdivision (c) entitles the current or former employee or the Labor Commissioner to recover a seven-hundred-fifty-dollar ($750) penalty from the employer.
(g)The listing by an employer of the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer in the itemized statement required by subdivision (a) shall not create any liability on the part of that legal entity.
(h)An employee may also bring an action for injunctive relief to ensure compliance with this section, and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(i)This section does not apply to the state, to any city, county, city and county, district, or to any other governmental entity, except that if the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity furnishes its employees with a check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity shall use no more than the last four digits of the employees social security number or shall use an employee identification number other than the social security number on the itemized statement provided with the check, draft, or voucher.
(j)An itemized wage statement furnished by an employer pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be required to show total hours worked by the employee if any of the following apply:
(1)The employees compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of Section 515 or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(2)The employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under any of the following:
(A)The exemption for persons employed in an executive, administrative, or professional capacity provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(B)The exemption for outside salespersons provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(C)The overtime exemption for computer software professionals paid on a salaried basis provided in Section 515.5.
(D)The exemption for individuals who are the parent, spouse, child, or legally adopted child of the employer provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(E)The exemption for participants, director, and staff of a live-in alternative to incarceration rehabilitation program with special focus on substance abusers provided in Section 8002 of the Penal Code.
(F)The exemption for any crew member employed on a commercial passenger fishing boat licensed pursuant to Article 5 (commencing with Section 7920) of Chapter 1 of Part 3 of Division 6 of the Fish and Game Code provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(G)The exemption for any individual participating in a national service program provided in any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
(a)An employer, semimonthly or at the time of each payment of wages, shall furnish to his or her employee, either as a detachable part of the check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, or separately if wages are paid by personal check or cash, an accurate itemized statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked by the employee, unless the employee is exempt from payment of minimum wage and overtime and the employees compensation is not based in whole or in part on hours worked or the employees compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of Section 515 or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission, (3) the number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece rate if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis, (4) all deductions, provided that all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item, (5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number, (8) the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the employee and, beginning July 1, 2013, if the employer is a temporary services employer as defined in Section 201.3, the rate of pay and the total hours worked for each temporary services assignment. The deductions made from payment of wages shall be recorded in ink or other indelible form, properly dated, showing the month, day, and year, and a copy of the statement and the record of the deductions shall be kept on file by the employer for at least three years at the place of employment or at a central location within the State of California. For purposes of this subdivision, copy includes a duplicate of the itemized statement provided to an employee or a computer-generated record that accurately shows all of the information required by this subdivision.
(b)An employer that is required by this code or any regulation adopted pursuant to this code to keep the information required by subdivision (a) shall afford current and former employees the right to inspect or copy records pertaining to their employment, upon reasonable request to the employer. The employer may take reasonable steps to ensure the identity of a current or former employee. If the employer provides copies of the records, the actual cost of reproduction may be charged to the current or former employee.
(c)An employer who receives a written or oral request to inspect or copy records pursuant to subdivision (b) pertaining to a current or former employee shall comply with the request as soon as practicable, but no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the request. A violation of this subdivision is an infraction. Impossibility of performance, not caused by or a result of a violation of law, shall be an affirmative defense for an employer in any action alleging a violation of this subdivision. An employer may designate the person to whom a request under this subdivision will be made.
(d)This section does not apply to any employer of any person employed by the owner or occupant of a residential dwelling whose duties are incidental to the ownership, maintenance, or use of the dwelling, including the care and supervision of children, or whose duties are personal and not in the course of the trade, business, profession, or occupation of the owner or occupant.
(e)(1)An employee suffering injury as a result of a knowing and intentional failure by an employer to comply with subdivision (a) is entitled to recover the greater of all actual damages or fifty dollars ($50) for the initial pay period in which a violation occurs and one hundred dollars ($100) per employee for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of four thousand dollars ($4,000), and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(2)(A)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide a wage statement.
(B)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide accurate and complete information as required by any one or more of items (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a) and the employee cannot promptly and easily determine from the wage statement alone one or more of the following:
(i)The amount of the gross wages or net wages paid to the employee during the pay period or any of the other information required to be provided on the itemized wage statement pursuant to items (2) to (4), inclusive, (6), and (9) of subdivision (a).
(ii)Which deductions the employer made from gross wages to determine the net wages paid to the employee during the pay period. Nothing in this subdivision alters the ability of the employer to aggregate deductions consistent with the requirements of item (4) of subdivision (a).
(iii)The name and address of the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer during the pay period.
(iv)The name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number.
(C)For purposes of this paragraph, promptly and easily determine means a reasonable person would be able to readily ascertain the information without reference to other documents or information.
(3)For purposes of this subdivision, a knowing and intentional failure does not include an isolated and unintentional payroll error due to a clerical or inadvertent mistake. In reviewing for compliance with this section, the factfinder may consider as a relevant factor whether the employer, prior to an alleged violation, has adopted and is in compliance with a set of policies, procedures, and practices that fully comply with this section.
(f)A failure by an employer to permit a current or former employee to inspect or copy records within the time set forth in subdivision (c) entitles the current or former employee or the Labor Commissioner to recover a seven-hundred-fifty-dollar ($750) penalty from the employer.
(g)The listing by an employer of the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer in the itemized statement required by subdivision (a) shall not create any liability on the part of that legal entity.
(h)An employee may also bring an action for injunctive relief to ensure compliance with this section, and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(i)This section does not apply to the state, to any city, county, city and county, district, or to any other governmental entity, except that if the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity furnishes its employees with a check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity shall use no more than the last four digits of the employees social security number or shall use an employee identification number other than the social security number on the itemized statement provided with the check, draft, or voucher.
(a)Every employer shall, An employer, semimonthly or at the time of each payment of wages, shall furnish each of to his or her employees employee, either as a detachable part of the check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, or separately when if wages are paid by personal check or cash, an accurate itemized statement in writing showing (1) gross wages earned, (2) total hours worked by the employee, except for any employee whose unless the employees compensation is solely based on a salary and who the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under subdivision (a) of Section 515 or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission, (3) the number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece rate if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis, (4) all deductions, provided that all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item, (5) net wages earned, (6) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid, (7) the name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number, (8) the name and address of the legal entity that is the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer, and (9) all applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate by the employee and, beginning July 1, 2013, if the employer is a temporary services employer as defined in Section 201.3, the rate of pay and the total hours worked for each temporary services assignment. The deductions made from payment of wages shall be recorded in ink or other indelible form, properly dated, showing the month, day, and year, and a copy of the statement and the record of the deductions shall be kept on file by the employer for at least three years at the place of employment or at a central location within the State of California. For purposes of this subdivision, copy includes a duplicate of the itemized statement provided to an employee or a computer-generated record that accurately shows all of the information required by this subdivision.
(b)An employer that is required by this code or any regulation adopted pursuant to this code to keep the information required by subdivision (a) shall afford current and former employees the right to inspect or copy records pertaining to their employment, upon reasonable request to the employer. The employer may take reasonable steps to ensure the identity of a current or former employee. If the employer provides copies of the records, the actual cost of reproduction may be charged to the current or former employee.
(c)An employer who receives a written or oral request to inspect or copy records pursuant to subdivision (b) pertaining to a current or former employee shall comply with the request as soon as practicable, but no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the request. A violation of this subdivision is an infraction. Impossibility of performance, not caused by or a result of a violation of law, shall be an affirmative defense for an employer in any action alleging a violation of this subdivision. An employer may designate the person to whom a request under this subdivision will be made.
(d)This section does not apply to any employer of any person employed by the owner or occupant of a residential dwelling whose duties are incidental to the ownership, maintenance, or use of the dwelling, including the care and supervision of children, or whose duties are personal and not in the course of the trade, business, profession, or occupation of the owner or occupant.
(e)(1)An employee suffering injury as a result of a knowing and intentional failure by an employer to comply with subdivision (a) is entitled to recover the greater of all actual damages or fifty dollars ($50) for the initial pay period in which a violation occurs and one hundred dollars ($100) per employee for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of four thousand dollars ($4,000), and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(2)(A)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide a wage statement.
(B)An employee is deemed to suffer injury for purposes of this subdivision if the employer fails to provide accurate and complete information as required by any one or more of items (1) to (9), inclusive, of subdivision (a) and the employee cannot promptly and easily determine from the wage statement alone one or more of the following:
(i)The amount of the gross wages or net wages paid to the employee during the pay period or any of the other information required to be provided on the itemized wage statement pursuant to items (2) to (4), inclusive, (6), and (9) of subdivision (a).
(ii)Which deductions the employer made from gross wages to determine the net wages paid to the employee during the pay period. Nothing in this subdivision alters the ability of the employer to aggregate deductions consistent with the requirements of item (4) of subdivision (a).
(iii)The name and address of the employer and, if the employer is a farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682, the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer during the pay period.
(iv)The name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number.
(C)For purposes of this paragraph, promptly and easily determine means a reasonable person would be able to readily ascertain the information without reference to other documents or information.
(3)For purposes of this subdivision, a knowing and intentional failure does not include an isolated and unintentional payroll error due to a clerical or inadvertent mistake. In reviewing for compliance with this section, the factfinder may consider as a relevant factor whether the employer, prior to an alleged violation, has adopted and is in compliance with a set of policies, procedures, and practices that fully comply with this section.
(f)A failure by an employer to permit a current or former employee to inspect or copy records within the time set forth in subdivision (c) entitles the current or former employee or the Labor Commissioner to recover a seven-hundred-fifty-dollar ($750) penalty from the employer.
(g)The listing by an employer of the name and address of the legal entity that secured the services of the employer in the itemized statement required by subdivision (a) shall not create any liability on the part of that legal entity.
(h)An employee may also bring an action for injunctive relief to ensure compliance with this section, and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorneys fees.
(i)This section does not apply to the state, to any city, county, city and county, district, or to any other governmental entity, except that if the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity furnishes its employees with a check, draft, or voucher paying the employees wages, the state or a city, county, city and county, district, or other governmental entity shall use no more than the last four digits of the employees social security number or shall use an employee identification number other than the social security number on the itemized statement provided with the check, draft, or voucher.
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| May 19, 2016 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0. Page 4871.) |
| Jul 22, 2016 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 77, Statutes of 2016. |
| Jul 22, 2016 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Jul 11, 2016 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m. |
| Jun 30, 2016 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 37. Noes 0. Page 4651.). |
| Jun 30, 2016 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. |
| Jun 30, 2016 | In Assembly. Ordered to Engrossing and Enrolling. |
| Jun 28, 2016 | Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. |
| Jun 27, 2016 | From committee: Be placed on second reading file pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8 and ordered to consent calendar. |
| Jun 8, 2016 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 4. Noes 0.) (June 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| May 31, 2016 | In committee: Hearing postponed by committee. |
| May 26, 2016 | Referred to Com. on L. & I.R. |
| May 19, 2016 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 76. Noes 0.) |
| Feb 19, 2016 | Introduced. To print. |
| May 19, 2016 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. |
| May 19, 2016 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| May 12, 2016 | Read second time. Ordered to Consent Calendar. |
| May 11, 2016 | From committee: Do pass. To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 20. Noes 0.) (May 11). |
| Apr 26, 2016 | Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Apr 25, 2016 | Read second time and amended. |
| Apr 21, 2016 | From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (April 20). |
| Mar 16, 2016 | Re-referred to Com. on L. & E. |
| Mar 15, 2016 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended. |
| Mar 14, 2016 | Referred to Com. on L. & E. |
| Feb 22, 2016 | Read first time. |
| Feb 21, 2016 | From printer. May be heard in committee March 22. |
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Votes
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2016 | Consent Calendar 2nd AB2535 Ridley-Thomas | Senate Floor |
Passed |
|
| Jun 8, 2016 | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Senate Standing Committee on Labor and Industrial Relations |
Passed |
|
| May 19, 2016 | AB 2535 RIDLEY-THOMAS Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| May 11, 2016 | Do pass. To Consent Calendar. | Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Apr 20, 2016 | Do pass as amended, and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Assembly Standing Committee on Labor and Employment |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 | AB 2535 |
CONSENT
Bill No: AB 2535
Amended: 4/25/16 in Assembly
SENATE LABOR AND IND. REL. COMMITTEE: 4-0, 6/8/16
AYES: Mendoza, Stone, Leno, Mitchell
NO VOTE RECORDED: Jackson
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-0, 5/19/16 (Consent) - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Employment: wages: itemized statements
DIGEST: This bill clarifies wage stub reporting requirements for exempt employees.
Existing law:
- Requires an employer to provide his or her employee an accurate itemized statement in writing containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages. That specified information includes showing total hours worked by the employee, unless the employee’s compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under a specified statute or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission. (Labor Code §226)
- Provides that, if an employee suffers injury as a result of a knowing and intentional failure by an employer to provide a wage stub, the employee is entitled to recover the greater of all actual damages or $50 for the initial pay period in which a violation occurs and $100 per employee for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of $4,000, and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. (Labor Code §226 (e)).
This bill provides than an itemized wage statement shall not be required to show total hours worked by the employee if:
- The employee’s compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime as specified; or
- The employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under:
- A specified exemption for executive, administrative, or professional employees.
- A specified "outside sales" exemption.
- A specified exemption for salaried computer professionals.
- A specified exemption for parents, spouses, children or legally adopted children of the employer provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
- A specified exemption for directors, staff and participants of a live-in alternative to incarceration rehabilitation program for substance abuse provided in Section 8002 of the Penal Code.
- A specified exemption for crew members employed on commercial passenger fishing boats provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
- A specified exemption for participants in national service programs provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
Comments
Need for this bill? Under current law, employers are required to provide workers with accurate itemized wage statements at the time of payment of wages. Labor Code Section 226 lists a number of required elements that must be included on the wage statement, including the total hours worked by the employee.
However, current law provides that the wage statement does not need to include total hours worked if the employee's compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under specified exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees.
Proponents note that it has been longstanding practice by employers to not list hours worked for exempt employees, as exempt employees are not paid by the hour or eligible for overtime. For example, a CEO would likely be compensated on a salary basis, perhaps with the addition of a bonus and/or stock options. Since hours worked is not a relevant figure when calculating the CEO’s wages, this information would be omitted from paystubs.
However, in a recent 2015 federal court case, Garnett v. ADT, LLC, the court weighed in on if outside salespeople must have their total hours worked included. In part because the plaintiff was paid solely by commission, the court found that the exemption in Section 226 for recording total hours worked did not apply. The judge noted in the decision: “While the usefulness of reporting total hours worked for employees paid solely by commission is not entirely clear, it is nonetheless required by Labor Code Section 226 (a)” (citations omitted).
AB 2535 amends Labor Code 226 in a comprehensive manner to extend the exemption from listing hours worked to all employees who are exempt under specified provisions of existing law for whom employers are not required to track hours.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Fiscal Com.: Local:
Associated Builders and Contractors of California
Associated General Contractors
California Alarm Association
California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce
California Building Industry Association
California Business Properties Association
California Chamber of Commerce
California Construction and Industrial Materials Association
California Cotton Ginners Association
California Cotton Growers Association
California Employment Law Council
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Fresh Fruit Association
California Manufacturers and Technology Association
California Newspaper Publishers Association
California Restaurant Association
California Retailers Association
California State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management
Civil Justice Association of California
Civil Justice Association of California
Family Business Association of California
FarWest Equipment Dealers Association
League of California Cities
Nisei Farmers League
Western Agricultural Processors Association
Western Plant Health Association
OPPOSITION: (Verified 6/27/16)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: AB 2535 is supported by the California Employment Law Council (CELC), who argues that, in addition to employees who are exempt and paid "solely based on salary," there are large numbers of employees in California who are completely exempt from overtime but who are not compensated solely by salary.
For example, CELC states that certain salespersons exempt from overtime by wage orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission are typically compensated by salary and commissions, and top level management employees may be compensated by salary plus bonus, salary plus stock options or other similar arrangements. These employees do not record the number of hours they work so employers do not have a tally of the hours worked to include on their pay stubs. CELC contends that, if hours worked are irrelevant to an exempt employee’s compensation, there is no reason to include that information on that employee’s paystub.
CELC argues that AB 2535 will clarify existing law to reflect long-standing historical practice and ensure that employees are fairly paid and that employers do not face unnecessary litigation.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-0, 5/19/16
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke, Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey, Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mayes, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago, Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Wood, Rendon
NO VOTE RECORDED: Chang, Mathis, McCarty, Williams
Prepared by: Gideon L. Baum / L. & I.R. / (916) 651-1556
6/29/16 15:50:48
**** END ****
SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Senator Tony Mendoza, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: AB 2535 Hearing Date: June 8, 2016
Author: | Ridley-Thomas | ||
Version: | April 25, 2016 | ||
Urgency: | No | Fiscal: | Yes |
Consultant: | Gideon Baum | ||
Subject: Employment: wages: itemized statements
KEY ISSUE
Should the Legislature clarify wage stub reporting requirements for exempt employees?
ANALYSIS
Existing law:
- Requires an employer to provide his or her employee an accurate itemized statement in writing containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages. That specified information includes showing total hours worked by the employee, unless the employee’s compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under a specified statute or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission. (Labor Code §226)
- Provides that, if an employee suffers injury as a result of a knowing and intentional failure by an employer to provide a wage stub, the employee is entitled to recover the greater of all actual damages or $50 for the initial pay period in which a violation occurs and $100 per employee for each violation in a subsequent pay period, not to exceed an aggregate penalty of $4,000, and is entitled to an award of costs and reasonable attorney’s fees. (Labor Code §226 (e)).
This bill provides than an itemized wage statement shall not be required to show total hours worked by the employee if:
- The employee’s compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime as specified; or
- The employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under:
- A specified exemption for executive, administrative, or professional employees.
- A specified "outside sales" exemption.
- A specified exemption for salaried computer professionals.
- A specified exemption for parents, spouses, children or legally adopted children of the employer provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
- A specified exemption for directors, staff and participants of a live-in alternative to incarceration rehabilitation program for substance abuse provided in Section 8002 of the Penal Code.
- A specified exemption for crew members employed on commercial passenger fishing boats provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
- A specified exemption for participants in national service programs provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
COMMENTS
1. Need for this bill?
Under current law, employers are required to provide workers with accurate itemized wage statements at the time of payment of wages. Labor Code Section 226 lists a number of required elements that must be included on the wage statement, including the total hours worked by the employee.
However, current law provides that the wage statement does not need to include total hours worked if the employee's compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under specified exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees.
Proponents note that it has been longstanding practice by employers to not list hours worked for exempt employees, as exempt employees are not paid by the hour or eligible for overtime. For example, a CEO would likely be compensated on a salary basis, perhaps with the addition of a bonus and/or stock options. Since hours worked is not a relevant figure when calculating the CEO’s wages, this information would be omitted from paystubs.
However, in a recent 2015 federal court case, Garnett v. ADT, LLC, the court weighed in on if outside salespeople must have their total hours worked included. In part because the plaintiff was paid solely by commission, the court found that the exemption in Section 226 for recording total hours worked did not apply. The judge noted in the decision: “While the usefulness of reporting total hours worked for employees paid solely by commission is not entirely clear, it is nonetheless required by Labor Code Section 226 (a)” (citations omitted).
AB 2535 amends Labor Code 226 in a comprehensive manner to extend the exemption from listing hours worked to all employees who are exempt under specified provisions of existing law for whom employers are not required to track hours.
2. Proponent Arguments:
AB 2535 is sponsored by the California Employment Law Council (CELC), who argues that, in addition to employees who are exempt and paid "solely based on salary," there are large numbers of employees in California who are completely exempt from overtime but who are not compensated solely by salary.
For example, CELC states that certain salespersons exempt from overtime by wage orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission are typically compensated by salary and commissions, and top level management employees may be compensated by salary plus bonus, salary plus stock options or other similar arrangements. These employees do not record the number of hours they work so employers do not have a tally of the hours worked to include on their pay stubs. CELC contends that, if hours worked are irrelevant to an exempt employee’s compensation, there is no reason to include that information on that employee’s paystub.
CELC argues that AB 2535 will clarify existing law to reflect long-standing historical practice and ensure that employees are fairly paid and that employers do not face unnecessary litigation.
3. Opponent Arguments:
None on file.
4. Prior Legislation:
AB 1513 (Williams), Chapter 754, Statutes of 2015, among other things, clarifies wage stub requirements for workers who are paid on a piece-rate basis.
SUPPORT
Associated Builders and Contractors of California
Associated General Contractors
California Alarm Association
California Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce
California Building Industry Association
California Business Properties Association
California Chamber of Commerce
California Construction and Industrial Materials Association
California Cotton Ginners Association
California Cotton Growers Association
California Employment Law Council
California Farm Bureau Federation
California Fresh Fruit Association
California Manufacturers and Technology Association
California Newspaper Publishers Association
California Restaurant Association
California Retailers Association
California State Council of the Society for Human Resource Management
Civil Justice Association of California
Civil Justice Association of California
Family Business Association of California
FarWest Equipment Dealers Association
League of California Cities
Nisei Farmers League
Western Agricultural Processors Association
Western Plant Health Association
OPPOSITION
-- END --
Date of Hearing: May 11, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2535
Author:(Ridley-Thomas) – As Amended Ver:April 25, 2016
Policy Committee: | Labor and Employment | Vote: | 7 - 0 |
|
|
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill specifies that itemized wage statements do not need to show total hours worked for employees for whom compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime or if the employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under existing law. Specifically, this bill:
- Specifies an itemized wage statement is not required to show total hours worked by the employee if:
- The employee’s compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime as specified; or
- The employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under:
- An existing IWC order applicable to the following workers: executive, administrative, and professional employees; outside salespersons; parents, spouses, children or legally adopted children of the employer; crew members employed on commercial passenger fishing boats; and participants in national service programs.
- Salaried computer professionals pursuant to existing labor code.
- Directors, staff and participants of a live-in alternative to incarceration rehabilitation program for substance abuse exempt pursuant to existing Penal Code.
FISCAL EFFECT:
The Department of Industrial Relations does not anticipate any significant fiscal impact to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.
COMMENTS:
- Purpose. Under current law, employers are required to provide workers with accurate itemized wage statements at the time of payment of wages. Current law also lists a number of required elements that must be included on the wage statement, including the total hours worked by the employee. Wage statements do not need to include total hours worked if the employee's compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under specified exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees.
This bill is sponsored by the California Employment Law Council (CELC), who note there are large numbers of employees in California who are exempt from overtime but are not compensated solely by salary. CELC contends that, if hours worked are irrelevant to an exempt employee’s compensation, there is no reason to include that information on that employee’s paystub.
- Background. According to the sponsor, this issue in response to a 2015 federal court case, Garnett v. ADT, LLC. The plantiff, a former salesperson for ADT LLC, filed a class action lawsuit against the company in 2014, alleging it failed to reimburse salespeople for work-related expenses or provide itemized wage statements listing the number of hours worked. The plaintiff sold ADT alarm systems to homeowners for two years and was paid solely on commission, according to the opinion.
According to the opinion, ADT said it did not have to include total hours worked on the statements because the plaintiff was an outside salesperson under one of the state’s wage orders and was exempt from the Labor Code’s wage statement requirements. The judge rejected the company’s argument and denied its motion. The judge noted in the decision: “While the usefulness of reporting total hours worked for employees paid solely by commission is not entirely clear, it is nonetheless required by Labor Code Section 226 (a)”.
This bill amends Labor Code 226 to extend the exemption from listing hours worked to all employees who are exempt under specified provisions of existing law for whom employers are not required to track hours. According to the sponsors, this bill has been crafted to only apply to exempt employees, and the bill makes no changes to exempt/nonexempt classifications; an employer would remain liable for a Labor Code Section 226 violation for an employee misclassified as exempt.
Analysis Prepared by: Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
Date of Hearing: April 20, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT
Roger Hernández, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2535 (
Author:Ridley-Thomas) – As Proposed to be Amended Ver:April 20, 2016
SUBJECT: Employment: wages: itemized statements
SUMMARY: Provides that itemized wage statements required under current law do not need to show total hours worked for specified exempt employees for whom employers are not required to track hours. Specifically, this bill provides than an itemized wage statement shall not be required to show total hours worked by the employee if:
- The employee’s compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime as specified; or
- The employee is exempt from the payment of minimum wage and overtime under:
- A specified exemption for executive, administrative, or professional employees.
- A specified "outside sales" exemption.
- A specified exemption for salaried computer professionals.
- A specified exemption for parents, spouses, children or legally adopted children of the employer provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
- A specified exemption for directors, staff and participants of a live-in alternative to incarceration rehabilitation program for substance abuse provided in Section 8002 of the Penal Code.
- A specified exemption for crew members employed on commercial passenger fishing boats provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
- A specified exemption for participants in national service programs provided in applicable orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
EXISTING LAW requires an employer to provide his or her employee an accurate itemized statement in writing containing specified information, either semimonthly or at the time the employer pays the employee his or her wages. That specified information includes showing total hours worked by the employee, unless the employee’s compensation is solely based on a salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under a specified statute or any applicable order of the Industrial Welfare Commission.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS: Under current law, employers are required to provide workers with accurate itemized wage statements at the time of payment of wages. Labor Code Section 226 lists a number of required elements that must be included on the wage statement, including the total hours worked by the employee.
However, current law provides that the wage statement does not need to include total hours worked if the employee's compensation is solely based on salary and the employee is exempt from payment of overtime under specified exemptions for executive, administrative, and professional employees.
This bill is sponsored by the California Employment Law Council (CELC), who argues that, in addition to employees who are exempt and paid "solely based on salary," there are large numbers of employees in California who are completely exempt from overtime but who are not compensated solely by salary.
For example, CELC states that certain salespersons exempt from overtime by wage orders of the Industrial Welfare Commission are typically compensated by salary and commissions, and top level management employees may be compensated by salary plus bonus, salary plus stock options or other similar arrangements. These employees do not record the number of hours they work so employers do not have a tally of the hours worked to include on their pay stubs. CELC contends that, if hours worked are irrelevant to an exempt employee’s compensation, there is no reason to include that information on that employee’s paystub.
CELC states that this issue was raised in a recent 2015 federal court case, Garnett v. ADT, LLC. The issue raised in that case was the requirement to include total hours worked for outside salespersons, who are exempt from overtime under existing law. In part because the plaintiff was paid solely by commission, the court found that the exemption in Section 226 for recording total hours worked did not apply. The judge noted in the decision: “While the usefulness of reporting total hours worked for employees paid solely by commission is not entirely clear, it is nonetheless required by Labor Code Section 226 (a)” (citations omitted).
Therefore, this bill amends Labor Code 226 in a comprehensive manner to extend the exemption from listing hours worked to all employees who are exempt under specified provisions of existing law for whom employers are not required to track hours. In working with committee staff and stakeholders, this bill has been crafted to only apply to exempt employees, and the bill makes no changes to exempt/nonexempt classifications; an employer would remain liable for a Labor Code Section 226 violation for an employee misclassified as exempt.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
California Alarm Association
California Employment Law Council
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by: Ben Ebbink / L. & E. / (916) 319-2091
Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):