Is Your Business One Audit Away From a Devastating Lawsuit?

This is where every client engagement starts. We examine: wage and hour compliance (overtime, meal/rest breaks, pay stubs), worker classification status, I-9 and onboarding documentation, current employee handbook and offer letters, termination procedures and final pay compliance, and record-retention practices.

You receive a written Compliance Risk Report with findings ranked by financial exposure. This report alone has helped clients avoid six-figure liability before it materialized.

Why it matters: You cannot fix what you don't know is broken. Most violations are discovered by plaintiff attorneys, not business owners.

Misclassification is the single highest-risk HR error a business can make. We review your current contractor agreements, worker roles, behavioral and financial control factors, and integration into your business to assess exposure. We also review exempt/non-exempt status for salaried employees — a common and costly oversight. Our findings are documented in a written classification review memo for your records.

Why it matters: The IRS, EDD, and plaintiffs' bar all pursue misclassification. A wrong classification can trigger simultaneous tax, wage, and PAGA liability.

We review your existing handbook and policies against current California and federal employment law, flag outdated or missing provisions, and provide written redline recommendations. Key areas: at-will employment language, arbitration provisions (if any), meal and rest break policy, overtime policy, harassment and discrimination policies, leave policies (CFRA, PDL, FMLA), remote work policies, and discipline/termination procedures. We also review offer letters for problematic language that creates unintended obligations.

Why it matters: Foundational documents are Exhibit A in every employment lawsuit. They need to be built to hold up — not just look good.

We audit your current record-keeping practices against California's retention requirements: personnel files, payroll records, timekeeping records, I-9 files, and training logs. We identify gaps and provide a record-keeping protocol your team can implement immediately. Proper documentation is often the difference between winning and losing a wage claim or PAGA suit — and it's entirely within your control before a dispute arises.

Why it matters: In litigation, if it isn't documented, it didn't happen. We make sure your records tell the right story.

Available on a monthly retainer or project basis. Services include: reviewing new hire paperwork before signing, advising on termination procedures and final pay, reviewing separation agreements, monitoring relevant California Labor Code and FLSA updates, advising on hiring practices and job description compliance, and providing written guidance on specific HR situations as they arise.

This is not legal advice — it is operational compliance guidance designed to fill the critical gap between your HR practices and your employment attorney.

This service bridges the gap between identifying a compliance problem and actually fixing it. We work directly with your payroll processor, office manager, or operations team to:

• Correct pay stub output to meet all §226 requirements
• Reconfigure or document timekeeping system rounding, deduction, and overtime calculation settings
• Implement proper meal and rest break documentation procedures, including compliant waiver forms
• Train scheduling managers on break obligation triggers
• Create an internal compliance checklist your team can use on an ongoing basis

Available as a standalone project engagement or incorporated into the Compliance Retainer.

Most violations don't require bad intent — they require a misconfigured system or an undertrained manager. Implementation work corrects the root cause, not just the symptom.