California Labor Code. California

      ARTICLE 1. General Occupations [200–244]

      (Article 1 enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)

      200. As used in this article: (a) “Wages” includes all amounts for labor performed by employees of every description, whether the amount is fixed or ascertained by the standard of time, task, piece, commission basis, or other method of calculation.

      (b) “Labor” includes labor, work, or service whether rendered or performed under contract, subcontract, partnership, station plan, or other agreement if the labor to be paid for is performed personally by the person demanding payment.

      (Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)

      200.5. (a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code or Section 340 of the Code of Civil Procedure, to collect a civil penalty, fee, or penalty fee under this division, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement shall commence an action within three years from the date the penalty or fee became final. Upon commencement of an action, the clerk of the superior court shall enter judgment immediately in conformity therewith.

      (b) This section applies only to penalty assessments or fees that became final on or after the effective date of the act adding this section.

      (c) For purposes of this section, “commence an action” means to file a request for entry of judgment on a civil penalty or fee with the clerk of the superior court of the relevant county.

      (d) For purposes of this section, “final” means the time to appeal has expired and there is no appeal pending.

      (Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 655, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2012.)

      201. (a) If an employer discharges an employee, the wages earned and unpaid at the time of discharge are due and payable immediately. An employer who lays off a group of employees by reason of the termination of seasonal employment in the curing, canning, or drying of any variety of perishable fruit, fish or vegetables, shall be deemed to have made immediate payment when the wages of said employees are paid within a reasonable time as necessary for computation and payment thereof; provided, however, that the reasonable time shall not exceed 72 hours, and further provided that payment shall be made by mail to any employee who so requests and designates a mailing address therefor.

      (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the state employer shall be deemed to have made an immediate payment of wages under this section for any unused or accumulated vacation, annual leave, holiday leave, or time off to which the employee is entitled by reason of previous overtime work where compensating time off was given by the appointing power, provided, at least five workdays prior to his or her final day of employment, the employee submits a written election to his or her appointing power authorizing the state employer to tender payment for any or all leave to be contributed on a pretax basis to the employee’s account in a state-sponsored supplemental retirement plan as described under Sections 401(k), 403(b), or 457 of the Internal Revenue Code provided the plan allows those contributions. The contribution shall be tendered for payment to the employee’s 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan account no later than 45 days after the employee’s discharge from employment. Nothing in this section is intended to authorize contributions in excess of the annual deferral limits imposed under federal and state law or the provisions of the supplemental retirement plan itself.

      (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when the state employer discharges an employee, the employee may, at least five workdays prior to his or her final day of employment, submit a written election to his or her appointing power authorizing the state employer to defer into the next calendar year payment of any or all of the employee’s unused or accumulated vacation, annual leave, holiday leave, or time off to which the employee is entitled by reason of previous overtime work where compensating time off was given by the appointing power. To qualify for the deferral of payment under this section, only that portion of leave that extends past the November pay period for state employees shall be deferred into the next calendar year. An employee electing to defer payment into the next calendar year under this section may do any of the following:

      (1) Contribute the entire payment to his or her 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan account.

      (2) Contribute any portion of the deferred payment to his or her 401(k), 403(b), or 457 plan account and receive cash payment for the remaining noncontributed unused leave.

      (3) Receive a lump-sum payment for all of the deferred unused leave as described above.

      Payments shall be tendered under this section no later than February 1 in the year following the employee’s last day of employment. Nothing in this section is intended to authorize contributions in excess of the annual deferral limits imposed under federal and state law or the provisions of the supplemental retirement plan itself.

      (Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 40, Sec. 6. Effective May 16, 2002.)

      201.3. (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

      (1) “Temporary services employer” means an employing unit that contracts with clients or customers to supply workers to perform services for the clients or customers and that performs all of the following functions:

      (a) Negotiates with clients and customers for matters such as the time and place where the services are to be provided, the type of work, the working conditions, and the quality and price of the services.

      (b) Determines assignments or reassignments of workers, even if workers retain the right to refuse specific assignments.

      (c) Retains the authority to assign or reassign a worker to another client or customer when the worker is determined unacceptable by a specific client or customer.

      (d) Assigns or reassigns workers to perform services for clients or customers.

      (e) Sets the rate of pay of workers, whether or not through negotiation.

      (f) Pays workers from its own account or accounts.

      (g) Retains the right to hire and terminate workers.

      (2) “Temporary services employer” does not include any of the following:

      (a) A bona fide nonprofit organization that provides temporary service employees to clients.

      (b) A farm labor contractor, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 1682.

      (c) A garment manufacturing employer, which, for purposes of this section, has the same meaning as “contractor,” as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 2671.

      (3) “Employing unit” has the same meaning as defined in Section 135 of the Unemployment Insurance Code.

      (4) “Client” and “customer” means the person with whom a temporary services employer has a contractual relationship to provide the services of one or more individuals employed by the temporary services employer.

      (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) to (5), inclusive, if an employee of a temporary services employer is assigned to work for a client, that employee’s wages are due and payable no less frequently than weekly, regardless of when the assignment ends, and wages for work performed during any calendar week shall be due and payable not later than the regular payday of the following calendar week. A temporary services employer shall be deemed to have timely paid wages upon completion of an assignment if wages are paid in compliance with this subdivision.

      (2)