California Code, Financial Code - FIN § 22335

The payment by any person in money, credit, goods, or things in action as consideration for any sale or assignment of, or order for, the payment of wages, salary, commissions, or other compensation for services, whether earned or to be earned, is, for the purposes of regulation under this division, a loan secured by the assignment. The amount by which the assigned compensation exceeds the amount of the consideration actually paid is interest and charges upon or for the loan, calculated from the date of payment to the date the compensation is payable.

This section shall not be construed as modifying or affecting existing statutes governing wage assignments in the state, or as authorizing those assignments.