Posted June 4, 2018 with Tags Wage and Hour, Wage and hour issues, California Wage and hour In California, Ignorance of Complex Wage Laws is No Excuse A California employer that does not pay its employees all required wages upon termination is liable for both the underpayment of wages and, if the failure to pay is “willful,” a “waiting time” penalty of up to 30 days’ wages. This is one of the ways a California wage-and-hour violation can become a very expensive mistake.