State labor laws · CA

California labor laws for hourly teams.

Daily overtime after 8 hours, double time after 12, and a one-hour premium for every missed meal or rest break.

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The rules below come from California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or from the federal Fair Labor Standards Act where California has no rule of its own. Each topic page shows its sources and the date we checked them.

California at a glance

California
OvertimeIn California, nonexempt employees earn time and a half after 8 hours in a workday or 40 hours in a workweek, and double time after 12 hours in a day.
Meal and rest breaksCalifornia requires a 30-minute unpaid, duty-free meal period for any shift over 5 hours, starting before the end of the fifth hour, and a second one for shifts over 10 hours.

Read the full rule

Overtime

California Overtime Laws for Hourly Employees (2026)

California overtime rules: time and a half after 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week, double time after 12 hours, and the seventh-day rule. With a worked example and tracking tips.

Meal and rest breaks

California Meal and Rest Break Laws (2026)

California meal and rest break rules: a 30-minute meal by the end of the fifth hour, a second by the tenth, a paid 10-minute rest per 4 hours, and one hour of premium pay per missed break.

Who enforces it

California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Federal overtime and hours-worked rules are enforced by the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division.

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This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; check the linked source.