All earned bonuses are treated as wages under California Labor Code Section 200. These bonuses are "earned" as part of an employment contract.Under California law, any bonuses and commissions that an employee receives from their employer are considered earned wages. Employers do not have to pay discretionary bonuses, and employees cannot typically seek to enforce payment. Comprehensive guide on the format and template for an annual bonus announcement letter, informing employees about their bonuses. Employees are not legally entitled to the payment of discretionary or unearned bonuses that occur after the end of their employment. The FLSA and California law do not allow for this. Instead, the law says that the label on a particular bonus is not determinative. An out-of-c1ass bonus shall not be paid to an employee who is placed in a training assignment f r a higher-level class. This page contains Signing Bonus clauses in business contracts and legal agreements.