Wage and Hour Lawyer in Irvine

If you experienced wage theft at an Irvine workplace, you have strong protections under California law. We represent employees only, never employers, and offer a free, confidential consultation. 1-800-371-3088.

What Are Wage and Hour Claims in Irvine

Irvine workers are entitled to the highest of: federal minimum wage ($7.25/hour), California state minimum wage ($16.90/hour effective January 1, 2026 under California Labor Code section 1182.12), or any applicable local minimum wage. Irvine has no separate citywide minimum-wage ordinance; the state floor applies. Fast-food workers at chains with 60 or more national locations earn at least $20.00/hour under AB 1228 (California Labor Code section 1474) since April 1, 2024. Healthcare workers at covered facilities (including UCI Medical Center and UCI Health - Irvine) earn tiered rates under SB 525 (California Labor Code sections 1182.14, 1182.15, 1182.16) reaching $25/hour at large hospital systems on July 1, 2026.

Irvine Industries Where Wage and Hour Violations Are Most Common

• UCI faculty, staff, and academic-healthcare workers - common claims: missed meal/rest breaks during high-acuity hospital shifts (Labor Code sections 226.7 and 512), SB 525 minimum-wage shortfalls.
• Life-sciences and medical-device workers - at Edwards Lifesciences and AbbVie / Allergan. Common claims: exempt-misclassification (the 2026 exempt-salary floor is $70,304/year) and unpaid overtime for non-exempt technicians.
• Tech and gaming workers - at Blizzard Entertainment, Ingram Micro. Common claims: exempt-misclassification, off-the-clock work, and stock-vesting / equity disputes.
• Restaurant and fast-food workers - at the Irvine Spectrum Center and along Irvine's major arterials. Fast-food chains with 60+ national locations are subject to the $20/hour AB 1228 floor. Tip-pooling violations are common (Labor Code section 351; SB 648 effective January 1, 2026).
• Corporate workers - at Mazda North American Operations, Taco Bell Restaurant Support Center, and others. Common claims: commission disputes (Labor Code section 2751) and expense reimbursement (Labor Code section 2802).
• Public-sector workers - at the City of Irvine, Irvine Unified School District, and South Orange County Community College District. Subject to the 6-month Government Claims Act deadline (Cal. Government Code section 911.2).

Irvine Local Protections

Irvine has no separate citywide minimum-wage, paid-sick-leave, or fair-workweek ordinance. The California state minimum wage of $16.90/hour applies as of January 1, 2026. California Paid Sick Leave (Labor Code sections 245-249) requires at least 40 hours (5 days) of paid sick leave per year, effective January 1, 2024. SB 525 (California Labor Code sections 1182.14, 1182.15, 1182.16) sets the healthcare-worker minimum wage at UCI Medical Center and UCI Health - Irvine.

California Law

For the full California wage-and-hour framework, including overtime (Labor Code section 510), meal and rest breaks (sections 512 and 226.7), wage statements (section 226), waiting-time penalties (section 203), expense reimbursement (section 2802), and PAGA (sections 2698 et seq.), see our California employment law page.

What Compensation Can You Recover

Unpaid wages, overtime, missed meal/rest premiums (one hour of pay per missed break), wage-statement penalties (up to $4,000 per employee under Labor Code section 226(e)), waiting-time penalties (up to 30 days of pay under Labor Code section 203), interest, liquidated damages on minimum-wage shortfalls, and attorneys' fees and costs (Labor Code section 1194). For details, see our California employment law page.

How to File a Wage Claim in Irvine

Wage claims can be filed with the California Labor Commissioner (DLSE), Santa Ana Office, 2 MacArthur Place, Suite 800, Santa Ana, CA 92707, phone (714) 558-4910. Civil suits are heard at the Orange County Superior Court, Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (complex civil matters at the Civil Complex Center, 751 West Santa Ana Boulevard, Santa Ana, CA 92701). Call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.