Owed Back Wages (Business in Escrow)

[EnigmaPrime]

My question involves employment and labor law for the state of: CA

Hi hope this is posted in correct section.

I work in a Bar which over the past year & a half the owner basically ran the place into the ground, if it were not for the staff pulling together the bar would have closed ages ago.

Anyway, I am the only one who was left on payroll, the rest took cash wages due to the fact checks kept bouncing because the owner kept taking money for his own personal use from the business bank account.

However I have had 2 payroll checks bounce & I still have two more that I was just too afraid to deposit cuz I did not want the fees for two more bounced checks.

The bar was recently sold & is now just gone into escrow.
My question is how do I continue from this point.
Who do I contact & apart from the bounced checks & un-cashed paychecks what info do I need bring with me.

Thank you all in advance.

[Scott67]

A labor board claim is the obvious answer, but not knowing the details of the sale and what will happen to the liabilities of the current business/owner, I would type up a letter detailing what I was owed and present it to the escrow company as a claim to be paid out of escrow as an existing liability. That puts the buyer on notice that there is a claim and possibly, depending on how the escrow company treats it, would get you paid in order for them to complete the sale.

I would also file a claim with the labor board.

Regarding the uncashed checks, I would physically go to the bank that the checks are written on and present them for payment (in cash or cashiers check). That way, you will not be charged if they are not honored. Go there every day, maybe more than once a day to see if you can catch it at a time when there is money in the account.

[EnigmaPrime]

I already know that that business account is closed so going physically to the bank is pointless right now.
I have although received upon request the last two years payroll info for me from the payroll company that printed my checks & have copies of the bounced checks etc.

My question is ...
Exactly which Entity to I approach with this info?

I'm in San Francisco, CA btw