Must California employers reimburse an employee's personal cell phone?
Yes, when the phone is used for work. California requires employers to reimburse all necessary expenditures an employee incurs doing their job, and a court has held this applies to personal mobile phones even when the employee pays a flat rate and incurs no extra cost.
In Cochran v. Schwan's Home Service (2014) the Court of Appeal held that an employer must pay a reasonable percentage of the bill whenever an employee is required to use a personal phone for work. That the plan was unlimited, or that someone else paid it, made no difference.
The same principle reaches other work-related costs: internet at home, required tools, mileage, and uniforms.
A reasonable fixed monthly stipend is generally acceptable and far simpler to administer than itemising each bill.
Sources
Last reviewed 2026-08-07. Informational only — not legal advice. California rules change; confirm against the current source before acting.
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