California

Security deposit

Your landlord had 21 calendar days to return your deposit or list the deductions in writing. If they were late or kept it wrongly, if they kept it in bad faith, a court can add up to twice the whole deposit on top of your money back.

Return deadline21 calendar days

If the landlord is late or keeps it wronglyBad-faith retention: tenant may recover the amount withheld plus up to twice the full security deposit in statutory damages

Cal. Civ. Code § 1950.5 · Verified 2026-10-21 · Read the statute

Verified directly from leginfo text: 21 calendar days to return and itemize; bad-faith damages under subdivision (l).

Gift card cash back

If your gift card has less than $15 left on it, you can ask for that money in cash instead of keeping the card.

Cash backless than $15

The ruleGift certificate with a cash value of less than $15 is redeemable in cash for its cash value.

Cal. Civ. Code § 1749.5(b)(2) · Verified 2026-10-21 · Read the statute

Verified from the amended statute text operative April 1, 2026 (2025 SB 22): threshold raised from $10 to $15. Donated nonprofit/charitable certificates with the statutory disclaimer are exempt from the cash paragraph.

Final paycheck

If you were fired, you must be paid the same day. If you quit, you must be paid within 72 hours — and a willful late payment adds a full day of pay for every late day, up to 30 days.

If firedImmediately, at the time of termination

If you quitWithin 72 hours after quitting; at the time of quitting if the employee gave at least 72 hours notice

Late-pay penaltyWaiting-time penalty: the employee daily wages continue as a penalty for each day the wages are late, up to 30 days, where the failure to pay is willful (Labor Code § 203)

Cal. Lab. Code §§ 201, 202, 203 · Verified 2026-10-21 · Read the statute

Verified from statute summaries and DLSE materials: § 201 (discharge), § 202 (quit), § 203 (penalty). A good-faith dispute over wages owed defeats the penalty.