CA AB1723

Expands penalties for employers who pay wages below the minimum wage to include applicable penalties for willful failure to timely pay wages of resigned or discharged employees under Section 203.

Establishes civil penalties of $100 per underpaid employee per pay period for initial intentional violations, and $250 per underpaid employee per pay period for subsequent violations of the same offense.

Requires employers to pay restitution of underpaid wages, liquidated damages, and any applicable Section 203 penalties, with all recovered amounts paid directly to affected employees.

Creates a citation and enforcement process allowing the Labor Commissioner to issue citations, hold hearings within 30 days, and file judgments in superior court with the same effect as tax judgments.

Allows employers to contest citations within 15 business days by requesting an informal hearing, or to pay the specified violation amount within 15 business days to avoid the hearing process.