San Diego unpaid overtime
San Diego Unpaid Overtime Lawyer
Hospitality, healthcare and life sciences all run long shifts in San Diego. Overtime is owed by the day here, not just by the week.
This page covers unpaid overtime for San Diego employees. For the statewide rules see California wage and hour, and for other San Diego claims see the San Diego hub.
California Overtime in One Table
| Rule | What is owed |
|---|---|
| Daily overtime | 1.5x after 8 hours in a day |
| Double time | 2x after 12 hours in a day |
| Seventh consecutive day | 1.5x for the first 8 hours, 2x after |
| Regular rate | Includes nondiscretionary bonuses and shift differentials |
| Exempt salary floor, 2026 | $70,304 per year. Salaried below this means overtime is owed. |
Figures update January 1 and July 1.
Daily Overtime Is the Rule Most Employers Miss
Employers that operate in several states frequently run payroll on the federal rule, which only pays overtime past forty hours in a week. California pays past eight hours in a day as well, and past twelve at double time.
Someone working four twelve-hour shifts is at forty-eight hours with sixteen hours of daily overtime owed, and a payroll system built for the federal rule will show none of it.
The San Diego Shifts Where It Shows Up
Hotel and hospitality shifts that stretch through an event. Hospital and clinic shifts past twelve hours. Laboratory and manufacturing work in life sciences where a run has to be finished. Security and facilities roles covering someone else’s absence.
Where a San Diego Overtime Claim Goes
The Labor Commissioner office is at 7575 Metropolitan Drive, Room 210, San Diego 92108, on (619) 220-5451. A lawsuit is filed at San Diego County Superior Court, Hall of Justice, 330 West Broadway.
Find Out Where You Stand
Three questions and a phone number. An attorney reads every one, and you hear back within one business day.
San Diego Unpaid Overtime FAQ
I work four twelve-hour shifts. Do I get overtime?
Yes. California pays daily overtime past eight hours, so those shifts carry overtime even though the week is under forty-eight.
My employer is based out of state and pays the federal way.
California law applies to work performed in California regardless of where the employer sits.
I am salaried in a lab role at $72,000. Exempt?
Above the 2026 floor of $70,304, so the salary test is met. Whether the duties test is met is a separate question.
How Far Back Can I Claim?
Three years, and four where an unfair competition claim applies.
Employment Law Resources
- Labor Code section 510, daily overtime and double time: leginfo
- Labor Code section 515, exemptions and the salary test: leginfo
- California Labor Commissioner, overtime and wage claims: dir.ca.gov
- San Diego County Superior Court, civil filing: sdcourt.ca.gov
Tell Us What Happened
One business day for a response. You pay nothing unless we win.