California Pay Stub Requirements

California has some of the nation’s strictest wage and hour laws. The state even has certain laws that dictate what kind of information should be included on a pay stub or pay statement. Employees whose employers fail to follow these requirements may have a legal claim and may be entitled to compensation.

What information should be included with a pay stub or pay check?

California law dictates that pay stubs and pay checks should include certain information, provided on a statement. This statement may either be a detachable pay stub, or may be an entirely separate document.

SHRM states that California requires employers to provide the following information in a statement or pay stub for each pay period:

• The legal name of the employee
• Only the last four digits of the employee’s Social Security Number
• The legal name and address of the employer (not the name under which the employer does business, if the two are different)
• Beginning and end dates of the pay period
• Hourly rates for the pay period
• Total wages earned that pay period
• Total hours worked by the employee (unless the employee is exempt from over time, per California law)
• Number of hours worked at each applicable pay period
• All deductions made from wages
• New wages earned
• Number of piece rate units earned, if the employee is paid on a piece rate basis
• Number of sick days available to an employee

The California Department of Industrial Relations says that even employees who are paid in cash are entitled to a pay stub with the above information included. 

The accuracy of this information is important, because it can affect an employee. For instance, providing information on the number of sick days available lets an employee know if they have more time at their disposal. 

If you are a California employee and you do not receive a pay stub that contains this information, your employer may have violated California law and you may be entitled to compensation.

What happens if an employer violates California pay stub requirements?

Employers who do not include the correct information with pay stubs, or do not provide the information at all, may face significant penalties. SHRM explains that employers face $50 for an initial violation of California pay stub requirements, and up to $100 for each violation after.

California law allows an employee who receives incorrect pay stubs to seek up to $4,000 in compensation for these errors. If one employee is affected by a paystub error, chances are the same error affects many other employees, and the employer could be subject to class action liability.

Many violations may be simple mistakes, but they can still be costly for an employer. SHRM notes that even if an employer uses a third party to handle payroll, the employer is still responsible for complying with California pay stub requirements.

In addition to including all of the proper information with the pay stub, the employer should also keep a copy of the pay stub for their records for at least three years, and must provide a copy to the employee upon request. They can face legal penalties for not doing so.

SHRM notes that some employers may be making errors in they pay stubs because they are not keeping abreast of changes to California pay stub requirements — the requirements may change, and employers are required to implement the changes.

On the other hand, errors in pay stubs could be signs that the employer is committing wage and hour violations, entitling employees to even more compensation.

Join a Free California Pay Stub Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you are a California worker and received a pay stub that was missing any required information, you may qualify to join this California paycheck stub class action lawsuit investigation.

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