Stop a $20 Error
from Becoming
a $6,000 Liability*
*1 error on 1 payroll for 1 employee*
In California, 85% of your wage and hour exposure isn't the wages themselves—it's the derivative penalties.
We help businesses like restaurants, healthcare practices, and manufacturers with 10-100 employee identify and "cure" hidden risk before the litigation begins
Most California employers want to follow the law. The problem is that California has a lot of it—and it changes constantly.
Knowing a rule exists is step one. Understanding how it applies to your specific pay structure, your scheduling system, and your industry is step two. Building the daily processes that keep you compliant without disrupting operations is the step most businesses never get to.
That's exactly where we come in.
Most employment attorneys can tell you what the law says. Most HR consultants can tell you how to run payroll. We do both—combining legal precision with real operational experience to give you answers you can actually implement.
Our audits don't just identify where you're exposed. They give you the exact playbook to fix it.
The Math of Risk
Why Small Violations Create Catastrophic Exposure
The Primary Wage "Spark":
A missed meal break is just one hour's pay, typically
$20–$45.
The Derivative "Fire":
If that $20 is not paid on the final paycheck, it triggers a "Waiting Time Penalty" of up to $6,000 per employee.
The Math is Not in Your Favor
$1.00 → $4.38
Across our audits, every $1.00 in unpaid premiums currently generates $4.38 in state-mandated penalties. In extreme cases of inaction, a single dollar of unpaid lunch premium can cost a company $12.30.
4.38x
Average Penalty Multiplier
12.3x
Extreme Case Multiplier
85%
Exposure in Derivative Penalties
Comprehensive Employment Compliance
Our Core Services
From forensic audits to ongoing counsel, we protect your business at every stage.
Forensic Wage Audits
We model your potential exposure under current California enforcement trends. Our audits provide exact calculations of primary wages and derivative penalties across all violation categories.
What We Audit:
✓ Employee Classification
✓ Time Tracking Systems
✓ Wage Statement Accuracy
✓ Overtime Calculation
✓ Payment Practices
✓ Meal and Rest Break Compliance
✓ Final Pay Compliance
✓ Documentation Completeness
Guidance & Compliance Counseling
Modern employers must operate within a sophisticated framework of federal, state, and local labor regulations. Even with the highest standards of diligence, a single overlooked requirement can expose a business to expensive, protracted litigation.
We Provide Proactive Advisory Services:
✓ Hiring & Onboarding Compliance
✓ Leave Management Protocols
✓ Clean Exit Termination Strategy
✓ Required New Hire Disclosures
✓ Wage & Hour Practices Review
✓ Performance & Discipline Guidance
✓ 2026 Transparency Mandates
✓ Ongoing Policy Updates
Strategic Risk Mitigation
Businesses can significantly lower their vulnerability to workplace litigation by adopting proactive risk-reduction frameworks. We help management prioritize three core pillars of compliance.
Core Pillars:
✓ Comprehensive Employee Handbooks
✓ Forensic Employment Audits
✓ 2026 Worker Notice Requirements
✓ Emergency Contact Designation
✓ Ongoing Training Programs
✓ Arbitration & Class Action Waivers
✓ Wage Theft Prevention Notices
✓ Separation Paperwork Protocols
Case Study
Sherman Oaks Office Compliance Transformation
The Problem
→ Modeled exposure: $251,834 for single location
→ 66% of entire practice's liability
→ 1,268 instances of non-compliant meal breaks
→ 1099 associate dentists despite operational control
→ Hygienists paid on production without rest period line items
→ No tracking of AB 1513 requirements
The Solution
→ 32-minute software lockout implementation
→ The 4:59 Rule enforcement
→ Naranjo-Automatic Premium Payments
→ Manager training on compliance protocols
→ Payroll system reconfiguration
→ Clean Exit termination checklist
The Result
→ 100% liability reduction on short lunch violations
→ PAGA "Right to Cure" qualification achieved
→ Civil penalties capped through backpay strategy
→ Clean Exit protocol secured
→ 12.3x multiplier eliminated for future terminations
Don't Wait for a PAGA Notice
Every day of non-compliance increases your penalty multiplier. Get ahead of the problem with a confidential forensic risk assessment.