On a public works project, a worker who works more than 8 hours in a single day must generally be paid:
Explanation
Labor Code §1811 sets eight hours as a day's work on public works and §1815 requires at least one and one-half times the basic hourly prevailing rate for hours worked beyond eight in a day or 40 in a week. Straight time for all hours is exactly the violation §1815 forbids, and it also triggers the §1813 forfeiture of $25 per worker per day. Waiting for the 40-hour week misses the daily trigger: the ninth hour on Monday is overtime even in a short week. Double time is not the §1815 rate.
Law Reference: Labor Code §1815; §1811This topic, taught in full in the CSLB Law & Business guide. CSLB Law & Business — Complete Study Guide (2026) — PDF + EPUB, $24.99 · 14-day refund →
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