There is no special or magic language that needs to be used. Assembly Bill 469, which went into effect January 1, 2012, clarified the law in California regarding the retention of payroll records. (2) any office of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or the Division of Apprenticeship Standards. Until now, an employee’s right to inspect employment records was limited to the foregoing categories. (c) Acknowledgment of Request. Employers must respond to an oral or written request within 21 days or be subject to a $750 penalty. Here is a sample language for a request from an employee to Human Resources or the employer’s designated person: I am requesting copies of the following records that my employer is obligated to provide to me: Please send a complete copy of these records directly to me. In California, you have a right to access your employment records, including your personnel file, payroll records, or documents you signed. ((Labor Code, § 226, subd. Employers do not need to provide time sheets or pay records above and beyond what is on the employee’s paystub. Employers are required by California labor law to maintain copies of all employees’ paystubs for a period of up to three years. Under Labor Code section 226(c), employers have 21 calendar days to respond to written or oral requests to inspect or copy the records covered by this section. Under this Labor Code section, employers can take reasonable steps to ensure the identify of a current or former employee, and the actual costs of reproduction can be charged by the employer. Requests shall be made to any of the following: (2) any office of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, or the Division of Apprenticeship Standards. Failure by an employer to permit a current or former employee to inspect or copy his or her payroll records within the 21 … General Occupations Section 226. See, California Labor Code §226. NOTE: Requests for records of more than one contractor of subcontractor must list the information regarding that contractor individually, even if all requests pertain to the same particular public works project. Labor Code 226(a). The public entity receiving a request for payroll records shall acknowledge receipt of such, and indicate the cost of providing the payroll records based on an estimate by the contractor, subcontractor or public entity. California Labor Code Section 226 outlines this and more. Labor Code Section 226 currently requires, among other things, employers to permit current and former employees to inspect or copy payroll records pertaining to that current or former employee. Legislation signed by Governor Davis on September 26 augments the existing law giving individuals access to their payroll records. For example, Labor Code section 432 permits employees to obtain a copy of any document they signed, Labor Code section 1198.5 allows current and former employees to obtain copies of their personnel records, and Labor Code section 226(c) permits employees to inspect or copy payroll records within 21 days after making a request to do so. (b) An employer that is required by this code or any regulation adopted pursuant to this code to keep the information required by subdivision (a) shall afford current and former employees the right to inspect or copy records pertaining to their employment, upon reasonable request to the employer. The process is a simple one that you can do yourself. ... (Labor Code, § 226, subd (b).) California employees (and former employees) have the right to access, view and/or copy personnel records (CA Labor Code section 1198.5) and payroll records (CA Labor Code section 226(b)) related to their employment. When responding to this type of request, you must provide either copies of the itemized wage statements received by the employee or a computer-generated record that contains all the information on those wage statements. California's Paycheck Stub ( Wage Statement ) Laws Last Updated: February 2016. Reference: Sections 1773.5 and 1776, Labor Code. If you can’t or don’t provide the records, the employee is entitled to a $750 penalty paid by the employer, as well as a claim for injunctive relief and attorneys’ fees. Record-keeping Requirement for Payroll Records. (California Labor Code § 1198.5. Code §226(b) Takeaways Blanket requests covering an entire public works project will not be accepted; unless contractor and subcontractor responsibilities regarding the project are not clearly defined. (Labor Code § 226(f).). The law previously stated that employees had the right to inspect or copy their records, but it was amended effective January 1, 2019 to clarify that employees have the r… The personnel records will typically include any and all records related to the employee’s performance or to any grievance concerning the employee. Labor Code §§ 226 (b) and (c) require that an employer provide an employee (current or former) access to inspect or a copy of all payroll records within 21 days of an oral or written request (it may provide a copy at actual cost). Payroll records, meaning wage statements (paystubs), which current and former employees have a right to request pursuant to California Labor Code section 226. Thank you. See, Ignore at Your Own Peril (February, 2018). California law requires ten (10) specific pieces of information to be included on every payroll paystub or wage statement for each employee. The proper response depends, first, on what the employee is asking to inspect. Employees also have the right, under Labor Code Section 226, to inspect or receive a copy of their payroll records. For more detailed codes research information, including annotations and citations, please visit Westlaw . Labor Code Section 226 is a multipurpose statute. Requesting Your Payroll Records. If an employee requests payroll records, the California labor code requires employers to provide the requested records within 21 days. Labor Code Section 226 going back at least three years. Employers have only 21 days, however, to respond to a request for payroll records. Labor Code § 1198.5 provides that (with limited exception): “Every current and former employee, or his or her representative, has the right to inspect and receive a copy of the personnel records that the employer maintains relating to the employee’s performance or to any grievance concerning the employee.” [1], The employer must make the personnel file/performance documents available to the worker or his representative within 30 days from the date it receives a written request. On September 17, 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation that is declaratory of Section 226 of the California Labor Code. Labor Code § 1198.5. (a)(2)(A).↥ Labor Code, § 226.2, subd. This information is provided free of charge by the Department of Industrial Relations (b) Requests for certified copies of payroll records pursuant to Section 1776 of the Labor Code may be made by any person. An employer must respond to a request for personnel records relating to your performance no later than 30 days after the date your employer receives your request. Please mail them to me at the below address within 21 days of your receipt of this letter: [address]. Nor is there an exception for employees covered by a union contract or for pending litigation. Lab. I was most impressed because even after the case was resolved she helped me through a couple of items that needed attention. The acknowledgment of the receipt of said request for payroll records may be accomplished by the public entity's furnishing a copy of its written correspondence requesting certified copies of the payroll records sent to the specific contractor pursuant to Section 16400(d) below, to the person who requested said records. An employee does not need to hire a labor and employment lawyer to get access to his or her employment records. Below, I discuss the employment records you are entitled to get and share sample language for making such a request. (a) [“all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item”].↥ This information must be given in addition to the itemized information described in Chapter 1.↥ Labor Code, § 226.2, subd. Section 226 entitles an employee or an employee’s representative to seek the employee’s wage statement records. Labor Code Section 226(b): Requires employers to permit current and former employees to inspect or copy payroll records pertaining to that current or former employee. The acknowledgment of the receipt of said request for payroll records may be accomplished by the public entity's furnishing a copy of its written correspondence requesting certified copies of the payroll records sent to the specific contractor pursuant to Section 16400(d) below, to the person who requested said records. Employers responding to a Section 226 request may provide “a computer-generated record” in lieu of actual wage statement copies, provided that record contains all nine specified items of information, such as all hourly rates, hours worked, gross wages earned, etc. The request for copies of payroll records by the requesting public entity shall be in any form and/or method which will assure and evidence receipt thereof. ... but not later than 21 days from the date of this request for my payroll records and 30 days from the date of this request for the remaining records. Here’s how to find out! ((Labor Code, § 1198.5.)) 2011 California Code Labor Code DIVISION 2. Under Section (e), employees may recover actual damage costs or $50 for each pay period violated, limited to $4,000. Did you ever wonder what’s in your personnel file? This article explains that right, with a sample request letter. Payroll Records. Cal. Labor Code, § 226, subd. The new law requires an employer to provide copies (at cost) of payroll records, or permit the inspection of those records, within 21 days of receiving an oral or written request from an employee or former employee. Read this complete California Code, Labor Code - LAB § 226.2 on Westlaw FindLaw Codes are provided courtesy of Thomson Reuters Westlaw, the industry-leading online legal research system . Workers who suspect that there may be some issues with their wage statements can request to inspect them. Subsection (e) of Section 226 allows employees to request damage payments from employers who do not comply with Subsection (a) of Section 226. [i] Records requested pursuant to Labor Code sections 226 (pay records) and 1198.5 (personnel file) must be provided within 21 and 30 days, respectively, or as agreed upon between the employer/employer representative and the employee/employee representative. Payroll records must be maintained for a period of not less than 3 years. In particular, her experience was helpful as we debated the pro’s and con’s of various courses of action. Existing law also permits current or former employees to “inspect or copy” such payroll records within 21 calendar days of the request. (Labor Code § 1174.) (a) Requests may be made by any person for certified copies of payroll records. I am writing to request a copy of all of my personnel, payroll and timesheet records under California Labor Code Sections 226(c), 432 and 1198.5. In California, three principal statutes govern employee requests to inspect personnel records—Labor Code §§ 1198.5, 226, and 432. What’s in your personnel file? However, any such request shall be in writing and contain at least the following information: (2) The contract number and/or description; (3) The particular job location if more than one; (5) The regular business address, if known. Employees in California have a right to request several parts of their personnel file. (Labor Code § 432. I am a [former/current] employee of [Employer]. (d) Request to Contractor. 2020 CA Employment Law Legislative Update, Article: Same Ocean, Different Boats: The Pandemic’s Disproportionate Impact on Certain Workers, Employment Law’s Protections, and Its Limitations, California COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Bill Becomes Law (AB-1867), Ramit Mizrahi Speaking about New Employment Legislation at CLA Annual Meeting (9/25/20), California Legislature Passes Historic Bill Expanding Family and Medical Leave Rights, Ramit Mizrahi Receives 2021 Recognition by Best Lawyers and Super Lawyers, My personnel file and all other records which my employer maintains relating to my performance or to any grievance concerning me. If the employer fails to comply with the request within the allowed time, the employee can recover a $750 penalty from the employer. I would highly recommend her without any reservation. The request need not be written, and there is no specified time for complying and no prescribed penalty. Providing employees with pay stubs is a local requirement in most states. The request shall include the following: (1) Specify the records to be provided and the form upon which the information is to be provided; (A) that the person certifying the copies of the payroll records is, if not the contractor, considered as an agent acting on behalf of the contractor; and. Inspection of the original payroll records at the office of the contractor(s) pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1776 of the Labor Code shall be limited to the public entities upon reasonable written or oral notice. Do you know that you have a right to find out? EMPLOYMENT REGULATION AND SUPERVISION [200 - 2699.5] ARTICLE 1. If the employer fails to comply, the employee can recover a $750 penalty from the employer. See below for details. If the employer fails to comply with the request within the allowed time, the employee can recover a $750 penalty from the employer. CA Labor Code § 226 (through 2012 Leg Sess) What's This? She was incredibly responsive and accessible even on almost a 24 x 7 basis. Pursuant to Labor Code Section 226, Current and former employees have the right to inspect or copy their wage statements on reasonable request. Certified payroll records and joint labor-management committees Any copy of payroll records made availa ble for inspection by, or furnished to, a joint labor-management committee, established pursuant to federal law, is required to be marked or obliterated only to prevent disclosure of an individual’s social security number. (B) that failure to provide certified copies of the records to the requesting public entity within 10 working days of the receipt of the request will subject the contractor to a penalty of twenty-five ($25.00) dollars per calendar day or portion thereof for each worker until strict compliance is effectuated; (3) Cost of preparation as provided in Section 16402; and. ), All of my payroll records from the past three years. Payroll Records (Labor Code § 226) Labor Code §§ 226 (b) and (c) require that an employer provide an employee (current or former) access to inspect or a copy of all payroll records within 21 days of an oral or written request (it may provide a copy at actual cost). Labor Code Section 226(b) An employer who receives a written or oral request from a current or former employee to inspect or copy his or her payroll records shall comply with the request as soon as practicable, but no later than 21 calendar days from the date of the request. (c).)) The California Labor Code Section 226 governs wage claims. (Labor Code §§ 226(b) and (c).). As for pay records, current law already requires California employers to provide a copy of the employee’s wage statements (paystubs) that include specific information required under Cal. What other documents are you entitled to see or copy? She thoroughly prepared me and walked me through step-by-step as the case proceeded. (b) Requests for certified copies of payroll records pursuant to Section 1776 of the Labor Code may be made by any person. 201 S Lake Ave, Ste 305, Pasadena, California 91101. However, any such request shall be in writing and contain at least the following information: from its web site at, https://www.dir.ca.gov/od_pub/disclaimer.html. NOTE: Authority cited: Sections 54, 1773.5 and 1776, Labor Code. Labor Code section 226, among other things, requires an employer who receives a written or oral request (from a current or former employee) to inspect or copy records to comply with the request “as soon as practicable,” but no later than 21 calendar days of the request. Under Labor Code § 432, you are entitled to obtain copies of all documents you signed relating to your obtaining or holding of employment. ), All documents I signed that relate to my obtaining and holding of employment with my employer. (Labor Code § 1198.5(k).). (e) Inspection of Payroll Records. For example, Labor Code 226 requires employers to allow inspection of payroll records within 21 days after a request is made, or else the employee is entitled to $750 in statutory damages. It is critical for you to have these documents if you believe that you have been wrongfully terminated, discriminated against, denied the pay or wages owed to you, or otherwise treated unlawfully. 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