California security guard Ernesto Salamante was recently awarded $425,000 for unpaid overtime wages

Hotels and motels generally employ a large staff who fulfill a variety of roles. It might be difficult for employers to accurately track the time attendance of each employee, but a failure to do so could result in heavy fines from the Department of Labor

There have been an increasing number of investigations into restaurant labor law violations in California, according to the Inside Scoop San Francisco.

Farmworkers Awareness Week is March 24 through March 29.

A failure to do so, however, can leave a business vulnerable to employee claims for failing to properly compensate workers.

The Gymboree Corporation recently agreed to pay $463,600 to settle a lawsuit filed by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office for violating state labor laws.

Violating meal break provisions can be an expensive mistake for employers, especially those who operate businesses in California, which enforces strict state labor laws.

While Congress finally came to an agreement on the much debated payroll tax, officials are cautioning businesses that the economy isn't at full speed yet.

The lawsuit first filed against the Back Bay Restaurant Group in fall 2010, is now making its way through the U.S. District Court in New Jersey, fueled by 300 employees who claim they were wrongly denied overtime pay and minimum wage.