California Wage and Hour Self-Audit Workbook: Breaks, Overtime, Regular Rate and Final Pay

You get a 40-page guide and an 18-sheet Excel workbook that let a California employer test its own pay practices, price what it finds and plan the fixes in 30, 60 and 90 days.

Who it is for

California employers, owners and office managers who run payroll.

HR leads who need a documented wage and hour review.

Teams preparing for a wage claim, a Labor Commissioner inquiry or a PAGA notice.

What is inside

• 12 audit steps in the guide: classification screen, meal periods, rest periods, overtime, regular rate, timekeeping and rounding, off-the-clock time, expense reimbursement, wage statements, final pay, PAGA screen and the fix plan
• 18 workbook sheets with shaded inputs, dropdowns, an example row to delete and print setup
• 2,600+ live formulas that compute meal and rest premiums, daily and weekly overtime, double time and the seventh day
• 5 print-and-fill forms: meal audit sheet, weekly hours sheet, wage statement check, exposure summary and 30-60-90 plan
• A regular rate sheet that adds bonuses and differentials, using the flat-sum bonus method the California Supreme Court approved
• A waiting time calculator for everyone who left in the last three years
• A PAGA screen that applies the 2024 reform tiers, the 15 and 30 percent caps and the weekly pay reduction
• 15 risk rows (13 preset issues and 2 of your own) scored for likelihood and impact, sorted into a 30-60-90 plan
• 2026 minimum wage of $16.90 and exempt salary of $70,304, and the 2027 figures of $17.40 and $72,384
• Fictional worked examples, interview scripts and a document request list
• Every legal point carries its official source and the date it was checked

What it is not

Not legal advice and not a substitute for an attorney. It does not decide the exempt duties test, cover every industry or union contract, or include local minimum wage rates. UHR does not offer investigations or legal work. Call a licensed attorney before you respond to a claim or a PAGA notice.

About the author

By McKinley Malbrough III, J.D., MS-HRM. Founder of Urban Human Resources and Online Facilitation Skills. Certified WNBA player agent. Former certified NBA agent. McKinley holds a J.D. but is not a licensed attorney.

Important notice: this is educational material, not legal, tax or financial advice. Forms, checklists and calculators are starting points to adapt to your policies. Involve a licensed attorney when a legal question comes up. No outcome is promised. Created with AI assistance and reviewed by the author. Not affiliated with any organization named.

These are general HR tools, not legal advice. For a situation with legal stakes, talk with an employment attorney.