Beginning January 1, 2022, new rules went into effect that finally provided agriculture workers, of employers with more than 25 employees, overtime protections like most other non-exempt employees in California. These long overdue changes were meant to ensure fair pay for employees who work long hours in brutal conditions.
The new rules, require employers to pay agricultural workers one and one-half (1.5) times their regular rate of pay for hours over 8 hours in a day or 40 hours a week, and double the employee’s regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 12 hours in a day.
Finally, on January 1, 2025, those overtime standards will also begin to apply to small businesses with 25 or less employees. These new overtime rules have gradually phased in over time. The changes began in 2017 and will finally be fully applied to all employers by 2025.