(g) This section does not apply to deductions which the employer may be requested by the employee to make for the payment of life, retirement, disability or unemployment insurance premiums, for the payment of taxes owing from the employee, for contribution to funds, plans or systems providing for death, retirement, disability, unemployment, or other benefits, for the payment for goods or services furnished by the employer to the employee or the employee’s family at the request of the employee, or for charitable, educational, patriotic or similar purposes.
(h) No assignment of wages is valid unless at the time of the making thereof, such wages or salary have been earned, except for necessities of life and then only to the person or persons furnishing such necessities of life directly and then only for the amount needed to furnish such necessities.
(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 163, Sec. 99. Effective January 1, 1993. Operative January 1, 1994, by Sec. 161 of Ch. 163.)
CHAPTER 3. Privileges and Perquisites [350–452]
(Chapter 3 enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
ARTICLE 1. Gratuities [350–356]
(Article 1 enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
350. As used in this article, unless the context indicates otherwise:
(a) “Employer” means every person engaged in any business or enterprise in this state that has one or more persons in service under any appointment, contract of hire, or apprenticeship, express or implied, oral or written, irrespective of whether the person is the owner of the business or is operating on a concessionaire or other basis.
(b) “Employee” means every person, including aliens and minors, rendering actual service in any business for an employer, whether gratuitously or for wages or pay, whether the wages or pay are measured by the standard of time, piece, task, commission, or other method of calculation, and whether the service is rendered on a commission, concessionaire, or other basis.
(c) “Employing” includes hiring, or in any way contracting for, the services of an employee.
(d) “Agent” means every person other than the employer having the authority to hire or discharge any employee or supervise, direct, or control the acts of employees.
(e) “Gratuity” includes any tip, gratuity, money, or part thereof that has been paid or given to or left for an employee by a patron of a business over and above the actual amount due the business for services rendered or for goods, food, drink, or articles sold or served to the patron. Any amounts paid directly by a patron to a dancer employed by an employer subject to Industrial Welfare Commission Order No. 5 or 10 shall be deemed a gratuity.
(f) “Business” means any business establishment or enterprise, regardless of where conducted.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 876, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 2001.)
351. No employer or agent shall collect, take, or receive any gratuity or a part thereof that is paid, given to, or left for an employee by a patron, or deduct any amount from wages due an employee on account of a gratuity, or require an employee to credit the amount, or any part thereof, of a gratuity against and as a part of the wages due the employee from the employer. Every gratuity is hereby declared to be the sole property of the employee or employees to whom it was paid, given, or left for. An employer that permits patrons to pay gratuities by credit card shall pay the employees the full amount of the gratuity that the patron indicated on the credit card slip, without any deductions for any credit card payment processing fees or costs that may be charged to the employer by the credit card company. Payment of gratuities made by patrons using credit cards shall be made to the employees not later than the next regular payday following the date the patron authorized the credit card payment.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 876, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 2001.)
353. Every employer shall keep accurate records of all gratuities received by him, whether received directly from the employee or indirectly by means of deductions from the wages of the employee or otherwise. Such records shall be open to inspection at all reasonable hours by the department.
(Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
354. Any employer who violates any provision of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) or by imprisonment for not exceeding 60 days, or both.
(Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1092, Sec. 190. Effective September 27, 1983. Operative January 1, 1984, by Sec. 427 of Ch. 1092.)
355. The Department of Industrial Relations shall enforce the provisions of this article. All fines collected under this article shall be paid into the State treasury and credited to the general fund.
(Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
356. The Legislature expressly declares that the purpose of this article is to prevent fraud upon the public in connection with the practice of tipping and declares that this article is passed for a public reason and can not be contravened by a private agreement. As a part of the social public policy of this State, this article is binding upon all departments of the State.
(Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
ARTICLE 2. Bonds and Photographs [400–410]
(Article 2 enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
400. As used in this article, “applicant” means an applicant for employment.
(Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
401. If a bond or photograph of an employee or applicant is required by any employer, the cost thereof shall be paid by the employer.
(Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
402. No employer shall demand, exact, or accept any cash bond from any employee or applicant unless:
(a) The employee or applicant is entrusted with property of an equivalent value, or
(b) The employer advances regularly to the employee goods, wares, or merchandise to be delivered or sold by the employee, and for which the employer is reimbursed by the employee at regular periodic intervals, and the employer limits the cash bond to an amount sufficient to cover the value of the goods, wares, or merchandise so advanced during the period prior to the payment therefor.
(Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
403. If cash is received as a bond it shall be deposited in a savings account in a bank authorized to do business in this State, and may be withdrawn only upon the joint signatures of the employer and the employee or applicant.
Cash put up as a bond shall be accompanied by an agreement in writing made by the employer and employee or applicant, setting forth the conditions under which the bond is given.
(Enacted by Stats. 1937, Ch. 90.)
404. Any money put up as a bond under Sections 401, 402 and 403:
(a) Is not subject to enforcement of a money judgment except in an action between the employer and the employee or applicant, or their successors
