Do we have to pay an employee who is scheduled to work a shift if the shift is cancelled and we can’t reach him to tell him that he does not have to report to work? In our case, the employee had already left for work and could not be reached. When he arrived at work, he was told his shift had been cancelled. What is our obligation?
— John, HR supervisor in La Jolla
The HR Management & Compliance Report: How To Comply with California Wage & Hour Law, explains everything you need to know to stay in compliance with the state’s complex and ever-changing rules, laws, and regulations in this area. Coverage on bonuses, meal and rest breaks, overtime, alternative workweeks, final paychecks, and more.
Our CELA editors spell out the rules in this situation.
Under the California Wage Orders, whenever an employee is required to report for work and does report, but is not put to work or is given less than half his or her usual or scheduled day’s work, he or she must be paid for half the usual or scheduled day’s work at the regular pay rate, for no less than two hours and no more than four hours (see below).
| Scheduled for | Paid for |
| 9 hours | 4 hours |
| 8 hours | 4 hours |
| 7 hours | 3.5 hours |
| 6 hours | 3 hours |
| 5 hours | 2.5 hours |
| 4 hours | 2 hours |
| 3 hours | 2 hours |
| 2 hours | 2 hours |