Long Beach, California

Wage and Hour Lawyer in Long Beach

Recover Unpaid Wages, Overtime, and Break Premiums

Long Beach has the most layered wage rules of any California city outside Los Angeles: a hotel-worker minimum wage of $25/hour for hotels with 100+ rooms, a separate concessionaire wage at Long Beach Airport and the Long Beach Convention Center, and the California state minimum wage everywhere else. The Labor Commissioner ordered Amity In-Home Care Services to pay $2.3 million to Long Beach in-home workers in February 2025. Call us at 1-800-371-3088.

What Are Wage and Hour Violations in Long Beach

The Long Beach claims that turn into real recoveries: hotel housekeepers paid below the city's $25/hour hotel wage, concessionaire workers at LGB and the Convention Center paid below the Chapter 16.60 schedule, port drayage drivers misclassified as owner-operators, restaurant servers with managers in their tip pool, and home-care and warehouse workers shorted on overtime, meal breaks, and rest breaks.

Long Beach Industries Most Affected by Wage Theft

Long Beach hotels (100+ guest rooms) - compliance with the $25/hour hotel-worker wage under Chapter 5.48 (Measure N, 2012; amended by Measure RW, 2024).
Long Beach hotels (50+ rooms) - compliance with the workload cap and double-time penalty under Chapter 5.49 (Hotel Working Conditions Ordinance).
Concessionaires at Long Beach Airport (LGB) and the Long Beach Convention Center - Chapter 16.60 wage schedule rising to $29.50 by 2028, plus paid sick days.
Port of Long Beach drayage drivers - ABC-test misclassification as 'owner-operators'; unpaid wait time and overtime.
Restaurants on 2nd Street, Pine Avenue, Belmont Shore, and the Pike - tip-pool violations, off-the-clock prep and cleanup, missed meal breaks during double shifts.
Long Beach home-care and healthcare workers - flat-rate pay below minimum wage, sleep-time deductions, missed breaks during long shifts.
Warehouses and logistics yards near the Port - off-the-clock security checks and unpaid donning/doffing of safety gear.

Long Beach City Protections

Long Beach has three city-specific wage rules that go beyond California state law:
• Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 5.48 - Hotel Worker Wage Ordinance: $25.00/hour for hotels with 100 or more guest rooms (Measure N, 2012; amended by Measure RW, 2024).
• Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 5.49 - Hotel Working Conditions Ordinance: room-cleaner workload cap with double-time penalty when exceeded.
• Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 16.60 - concessionaire workers at Long Beach Airport and the Long Beach Convention Center: separate wage schedule rising from $25 (Jul 2025) to $26.50 (Jul 2026), $28 (Jul 2027), and $29.50 by 2028, plus paid sick days.

California Law

California gives you broad statewide protection against wage and hour, for the full statutory framework, deadlines, and how the state laws fit together, see our California employment law page and the in-depth California Wage and Hour Laws Guide.

What Compensation Can You Recover

California does not cap damages for wage and hour claims. For a full breakdown of what you can recover, see the California Wage and Hour Laws Guide.

How to File a Wage Claim in Long Beach

Civil employment lawsuits filed by Long Beach workers are heard at the Governor George Deukmejian Courthouse, 275 Magnolia Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802 (the Long Beach Branch of the Los Angeles County Superior Court). For agency contacts, deadlines, and the full filing process, see our California employment law page. We handle the filing process for you, call us at 1-800-371-3088 before any deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

When a Long Beach hotel pays $20/hour, is that the right minimum wage? +

Probably not. Long Beach hotels with 100 or more rooms must pay at least $25.00/hour under Long Beach Municipal Code Chapter 5.48 (Hotel Worker Wage Ordinance), rising to $26.50/hour effective July 1, 2026. The California state minimum wage is $16.90/hour as of January 1, 2026. If the worker's hotel has 100+ rooms, a worker may be owed back wages, premium pay for missed breaks, and waiting time penalties.

Can a worker recover unpaid overtime even if the worker's Long Beach employer says a worker is salaried? +

Yes, being paid a salary does not automatically make a worker exempt from overtime. California requires that exempt employees meet specific salary and duties tests. Many Long Beach assistant managers, office workers, and tech employees are misclassified and entitled to overtime under Labor Code section 510. The firm routinely recover years of back overtime for misclassified salaried workers.

When a Long Beach employer never gave the worker a meal break, what can a worker recover? +

Under Labor Code section 226.7 the worker's employer owes a worker one hour of pay at the worker's regular rate for each missed or late meal break, plus another hour for each missed rest break. These premiums are owed for every workday the violation occurred and can go back 3 years (4 years under the Unfair Competition Law). On top of that, a worker can claim unpaid wages, waiting time penalties, and PAGA penalties.

A worker works as a port truck driver in Long Beach and the worker's employer calls the worker an "owner-operator" - is that legal? +

Often it is misclassification. Under California's ABC test (AB 5, Labor Code section 2775), most drayage drivers at the Port of Long Beach are employees, not independent contractors. Misclassified drivers are entitled to minimum wage, overtime, expense reimbursement, and Social Security contributions. The firm has helped Long Beach port drivers recover unpaid wages and have classified them properly under the law.

Were You Underpaid or Denied Breaks?

Speak with a California wage and hour lawyer today. Free confidential consultation. No fee unless you win.

Request A Free Consultation (800) 371-3088

Legal Disclaimer: This page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Employment law is complex and fact-specific. The information on this page reflects California law as of 2026 and may change. If you believe your rights have been violated, please consult a licensed California employment attorney to evaluate your specific situation.