HR Management & Compliance

Short Takes: Undocumented Workers

Are undocumented workers protected by California labor laws?


400+ pages of state-specific, easy-read reference materials at your fingertips—fully updated! Check out the Guide to Employment Law for California Employers and get up to speed on everything you need to know.


Yes they are. All California workers—regardless of whether they are legally authorized to work in the United States—are protected by state laws regulating wages and working conditions. All workers in California have the right to receive the minimum wage, to be paid overtime pay, to file wage claims and workplace safety and health complaints, and to work in an environment free from retaliation for exercising any of these rights.

The California Department of Industrial Relations—which enforces the state’s labor and workplace safety and health laws—has said that it will not question workers about their immigrant status and will pursue the rights listed above on behalf of workers without regard to immigration status. — CELA Editors

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