Beware the Bureau of Field Enforcement (BOFE) investigation in
2018. The California Labor Commissioner's Office has ramped up
investigations by its BOFE unit to enforce wage and hour
compliance. The Bureau investigates complaints and takes
enforcement actions that can include audits of a company's
payroll records and workers' compensation insurance coverage,
and the issuance of citations for violations of California Labor
Code sections. From 2010 to 2016, the ratio of citations to
inspections increased from 45 percent to 85 percent, and the
assessed wages per inspection increased from around $2,400 to more
than $15,000.
The Bureau conducts on-site inspections that usually include a
review of a company's overall compliance with
minimum wage and overtime laws, and the laws governing the
provision of meal periods and rest breaks. California Labor Code
section 90 provides that the Labor Commissioner, including the
Bureau, "shall have free access to all places of
