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DLSE Wage Claim Notice

This page provides a clear, factual overview of what a DLSE Wage Claim Notice involves, why organizations receive it, how risk is evaluated, and the typical steps required to resolve it. These insights are based on patterns seen across Hospitality, restaurants, home care, warehouses, call centers, retail, and staffing firms. and common issues identified in audits.

Summary of Issue

DLSE Wage Claim Notice opens or documents a wage and hour investigation involving possible unpaid wages or overtime tied to worker classification. It is typically issued when Workers labeled as independent contractors alleged unpaid minimum wage or overtime and wage records did not support the classification.


Agency
California Employment Development Department / DLSE / Labor Commissioner
Location
California
Issue Type
Wage and hour misclassification / unpaid wages or overtime
Risk Level
Medium
Common Reason
Workers labeled as independent contractors alleged unpaid minimum wage or overtime and wage records did not support the classification.
Penalty
Back wages, unpaid overtime, liquidated damages, and civil money penalties for Fair Labor Standards Act or state law violations.
Fix Action
Work with legal and tax advisors to review worker roles, documentation, and reporting and respond to the agency by the stated deadline. Calculate and pay back wages and overtime if owed, adjust classifications, and train managers on wage and hour obligations.
Year Range
Typically reviews 3–4 years of records; in serious or repeat cases, the lookback period can extend further.
Industry Examples
Hospitality, restaurants, home care, warehouses, call centers, retail, and staffing firms.

How TCWGlobal Helps Companies Facing a DLSE Wage Claim Notice

Letters like the DLSE Wage Claim Notice often occur when organizations experience gaps in documentation, worker classification, onboarding processes, or payroll reporting. These issues become more common as companies scale, work with more contractors, or manage projects across multiple states and agencies.

TCWGlobal helps by supporting compliant payrolling for workers you already sourced, centralizing documentation, maintaining accurate worker records, and ensuring onboarding and reporting remain consistent across all projects and departments.

For industries like Hospitality, restaurants, home care, warehouses, call centers, retail, and staffing firms., where audits related to Wage and hour misclassification / unpaid wages or overtime commonly appear, our team reduces risk by helping clients maintain clean worker files, correct classification, and auditable payroll data.

When issues arise, TCWGlobal supports you in preparing required documentation, correcting records, and implementing processes that help prevent future California Employment Development Department / DLSE / Labor Commissioner assessments or penalties.