If You Are Working, You Must Be Paid. Period.
Whether it’s starting your shift early, finishing reports at home, or staying late to clean up—every minute spent on work duties belongs on your paycheck. If your employer is demanding labor without compensation, they are violating California Law. We help you recover the pay you’ve already earned. A California off-the-clock work lawyer can review your time records, pay stubs, messages, schedules, and job duties to determine whether you performed compensable work without being paid. The Ghol Firm represents California employees in off-the-clock work and related unpaid wage claims.
It starts small: a quick email check before you clock in, prepping your station before your shift, or finishing a task during your lunch break. Over months or years, these "few minutes" turn into hundreds of hours of unpaid labor. Employers count on you feeling like these tasks are just "part of the job." But in the eyes of California Law, if your employer knows or should have known you were working, they are legally required to pay you for it. Don’t subsidize your employer’s bottom line with your own time. Off-the-clock wage violations can involve pre-shift tasks, post-shift duties, after-hours emails or texts, unpaid training, interrupted meal periods, and other work performed outside recorded time. These unpaid minutes can also affect overtime calculations when they increase the total hours worked.
Being required to show up early to unlock doors, boot up computer systems, or put on protective gear before you can clock in.
Being forced to stay after your shift ends to clean your station, finish paperwork, or wait for a manager to count your drawer.
If your boss expects you to monitor phones, answer client questions, or "keep an eye on things" during your meal break, it's not a break—it's work.
Answering work-related texts, emails, or phone calls from your boss after you’ve left the office for the day.
Mandatory training sessions or being required to travel between job sites during the day are work hours that must be compensated.
Companies that automatically "deduct" lunch or break time from your payroll, even when you were too busy to actually take them.
Off-the-clock work is often hidden in digital shadows—deleted email timestamps, security badge logs, and internal messaging apps. Your employer might claim they "didn't know" you were working, but the evidence usually tells a different story.
That is why this work matters.
At The Ghol Firm, we dig through the digital records to uncover the truth and show exactly how much time you were denied.
“Wage theft is often hidden in plain sight. We specialize in finding those stolen hours and forcing employers to pay what they owe, plus interest and penalties.” — Avi Gholian, Founding Attorney
We work on a contingency basis. You pay nothing to start, and we only collect a fee if we recover your wages.
We know how to subpoena digital logs and employment records to prove your employer knew you were working.
Once we demonstrate that an employer has a pattern of illegal off-the-clock demands, they are often forced to settle to avoid a public investigation.
You do not need to figure this out alone. We keep the process clear, explain what matters, and help you understand what comes next.
No high-pressure sales. Just an honest talk about your situation and how we can help.
We evaluate your typical workday to pinpoint exactly where you are performing work that isn't showing up on your timecard.
We gather your time logs, pay stubs, email chains, and text messages that prove you were active during "unpaid" hours.
We calculate the total amount of unpaid time, applying your overtime and penalty rates to maximize your recovery.
We confront your employer with the evidence and fight to get you paid for every minute they tried to steal.
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You aren't a volunteer. You’re an employee who deserves to be paid for every minute. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation. We fight for your rights on a contingency basis—you pay nothing unless we win.
No. Under California law, the “de minimis” rule (which suggests small amounts of time can be ignored) is extremely limited. If you are regularly performing work duties off-the-clock, those minutes add up to substantial lost wages that your employer is required to pay.
If your boss knows you are working, they must pay you. Even if they have a written policy saying “no off-the-clock work,” they cannot knowingly accept the benefit of your work while refusing to pay for it. If they know you are doing the work, they are liable.
We use digital forensics. From email timestamps and text message logs to security gate access and computer login times, we build a timeline that proves you were working during those “unpaid” hours.
Yes. You have the right to file a wage claim for unpaid work performed for an employer, even after you have quit or been terminated. The statute of limitations generally allows you to go back at least three years.
Absolutely. Any text message where you are discussing work, receiving instructions, or submitting reports after-hours is powerful evidence that you were working off the clock. Keep those messages and do not delete them.
In an employment relationship, work is rarely truly “voluntary” if it benefits the employer. If the work is expected, encouraged, or necessary to keep your job, it is compensable labor.
California law strictly prohibits retaliation against employees who assert their right to be paid for their work. If your employer retaliates against you for claiming unpaid wages, you may have an additional claim for damages.
