In California, your rights as a salaried employee depend on whether you are classified as exempt or non-exempt, not just because you get a salary.

Getting paid a fixed salary does not automatically mean you don’t have the right to overtime or rest breaks.

1.Exempt Salaried Employees

To be considered "exempt" — meaning you are not entitled to overtime or required breaks — your job must meet a strict three-part test.

Independent Judgment: You must regularly make decisions and use judgment in your job.

Full Week Salary Pay: You must get your full weekly salary if you work any hours during the week, no matter how many hours you work.

No Partial-Day Wage Deductions: Employers can't take away part of your pay if you miss a few hours of work on a day.

If you earn less than $70,304 per year or your daily duties don’t meet the executive or administrative definition, you are considered non-exempt — even if you are paid a salary.

Your Rights If Non-Exempt:

Overtime Pay: You must be paid 1.5 times your regular rate for any hours worked beyond 8 in a day or 40 in a week.

Mandatory Meal Breaks: You must be given a 30-minute unpaid meal break before your fifth hour of work.

Mandatory Rest Breaks: You must get a 10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours you work.

Missed Break Penalties: If your employer denies a meal or rest break, you must be paid an extra hour of regular pay for each day it happens. Exempt vs non-exempt California