State reference

California

Basic minimum rate: $16.90. Source: US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, state minimum wage table, page updated July 1, 2026.

Minimum wage (US DOL)

Basic minimum rate: $16.90
Premium pay after designated hours: Daily - 8 (time and half), and 12 (double time), Weekly - 40; on 7th day: First 8 hours (time and half) Over 8 hours on 7th day (double time)

Source: US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, state minimum wage table; page updated July 1, 2026. Record: ca.

DOL notes for California

Any work in excess of eight hours in one workday, in excess of 40 hours in one workweek, or in the first eight hours worked on the seventh day of work in any one workweek shall be at the rate of one and one-half times the regular rate of pay. Any work in excess of 12 hours in one day or in excess of eight hours on any seventh day of a workweek shall be paid no less than twice the regular rate of pay. California Labor Code section 510. Exceptions apply to an employee working pursuant to an alternative workweek adopted pursuant to applicable Labor Code sections and for time spent commuting. (See Labor Code section 510 for exceptions).
The minimum wage will be adjusted annually based upon a set formula.

Verbatim from US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, state minimum wage table; page updated July 1, 2026. Record: ca.

Rest periods (US DOL)

Basic standard: Paid 10-minute rest period for each 4 hours worked or major fraction thereof; as practicable, in middle of each work period. Not required for employees whose total daily work time is less than 3 and ½ hours. This includes paid “recovery period” which means a cool down period afforded an employee to prevent heat illness.
Prescribed by: Administratively issued Industrial Welfare Commission Orders.
Coverage: Uniform application to industries under 15 Orders, including agriculture and household employment. Excludes professional actors, sheepherders under Agricultural Occupations Order, and personal attendants under Household Occupations Order.
Comments: Additional interim rest periods required in motion picture industry during actual rehearsal or shooting for swimmers, dancers, skaters or other performers engaged in strenuous physical activity. Under all Orders, except for private household employment, Division of Labor Standards Enforcement may grant exemption upon employer application on the basis of undue hardship, if exemption would not materially affect welfare or comfort of employees.

Source: US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Minimum Length of Rest Periods; table revised January 1, 2023. Record: california.

Meal periods (US DOL)

Basic standard: ½ hour, if work is for more than 5 hours per day, except when workday will be completed in 6 hours or less and there is mutual employer/employee consent to waive meal period. On-duty meal period counted as time worked and permitted only when nature of work prevents relief from all duties and there is written agreement between parties. Employee may revoke agreement at any time. An employer may not employ an employee for a work period of more than 10 hours per day without providing the employee with a second meal period of not less than 30 minutes, except that if the total hours worked is no more than 12 hours, the second meal period may be waived by mutual consent of the employer and employee only if the first meal period was not waived. The Industrial Welfare Commission may adopt working condition orders permitting a meal period to start after 6 hours of work if the commission determines that the order is consistent with the health and welfare of the affected employees.
Prescribed by: Administratively issued Industrial Welfare Commission Orders, and California Labor Code section 512.
Coverage: Uniform application to industries under 14 Orders, including agriculture and private household employment. Exempts employees in the wholesale baking industry who are subject to an Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Order and who are covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that provides for a 35-hour workweek consisting of five 7-hour days, payment of 1 and ½ times the regular rate of pay for time worked in excess of 7 hours per day, and a rest period of not less than 10 minutes every 2 hours. Exceptions apply to motion picture or broadcasting industries pursuant to Labor Code sections 512 and 226.7, and Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders 11 and 12.

Source: US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Minimum Paid/Unpaid Meal Period; table revised January 1, 2023. Record: california.

Hours, counted

This page states the DOL rows and nothing beyond them. It does not say how they apply to any particular job, schedule or agreement. For hours, the calculators do arithmetic on the numbers you type: shift hours, hour totals split at 40, long shifts.