Section 210 Of Article 1. General Occupations From California Labor Code >> Division 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 1.
210
. (a) In addition to, and entirely independent and apart from,
any other penalty provided in this article, every person who fails to
pay the wages of each employee as provided in Sections 201.3, 204,
204b, 204.1, 204.2, 205, 205.5, and 1197.5, shall be subject to a
civil penalty as follows:
(1) For any initial violation, one hundred dollars ($100) for each
failure to pay each employee.
(2) For each subsequent violation, or any willful or intentional
violation, two hundred dollars ($200) for each failure to pay each
employee, plus 25 percent of the amount unlawfully withheld.
(b) The penalty shall be recovered by the Labor Commissioner as
part of a hearing held to recover unpaid wages and penalties pursuant
to this chapter or in an independent civil action. The action shall
be brought in the name of the people of the State of California and
the Labor Commissioner and the attorneys thereof may proceed and act
for and on behalf of the people in bringing these actions. Twelve and
one-half percent of the penalty recovered shall be paid into a fund
within the Labor and Workforce Development Agency dedicated to
educating employers about state labor laws, and the remainder shall
be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the General Fund.