You, like many others, may have transitioned from an in-office California job to a work-from-home one this year. Things may look and feel quite a bit different now, but when it comes to your employer's obligations with regard to overtime, rest breaks and similar matters, they remain unchanged. 

Understanding the state's wage and hour laws is essential as a non-exempt employee who is working remotely. The more you understand about your employer's obligations, the more likely you are to notice when he or she runs afoul of the law. When working remotely as an employee in California, know that your employer must comply with the following rules and regulations. 

Meal and rest break regulations 

As a non-exempt California worker, you get, at minimum, a 30-minute break for lunch that must begin no later than four hours and 59 minutes into your shift. If you work more than three-and-a-half hours at a time, you also get a 10-minute break for every four hours worked. 

Overtime pay obligations

Your employer has an obligation to pay you overtime, or one-and-a-half times your standard rate of pay, for every hour you work over eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. This still applies when you are a non-exempt employee working from home. It also holds true even if your employer never approved the overtime work. An exception to this may exist of your employer had you sign a teleworking agreement or policy that specifies that you must secure approval before working overtime.