What Information Should My Pay Stub Include?

What Information Should My Pay Stub Include?

Your pay stub is a critical source of information that should contain everything you need to know about how your pay is calculated, including what deductions have been taken, how many hours you worked, and how much overtime, if any, is included in your paycheck.

Information Your Pay Stub Must Contain

California has very strict rules about what information must be included in employee pay stubs, which are also called “wage statements.” The pay stub must include:

1. Gross wages earned;
2. Total hours worked, except for any employee whose compensation is solely based on a salary and who is exempt from payment of overtime (if you are paid commission, hours worked must be included on the pay stub);
3. The number of piece-rate units earned and any applicable piece rate if the employee is paid on a piece-rate basis;
4. All deductions, provided that all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item;
5. Net wages earned;
6. The inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid;
7. The name of the employee and only the last four digits of his or her social security number or an employee identification number other than a social security number; The name and address of the legal entity that is the employer; and
8. All applicable hourly rates in effect during the pay period and the corresponding number of hours worked at each hourly rate.

What if Information is Missing or is Inaccurate?

If you are not provided with a pay stub with all of the information listed above, or if the information is inaccurate, you may be entitled to penalties from your employer of up to $4,000.00. Talk to a employment litigation attorney in Orange County, CA for consultation.

If the practice is one that affects many employees, the employer could face substantial civil penalties in a class action or a claim under California’s Private Attorneys General Act. Often, such penalties can reach into the six-figures.