California Code, Unemployment Insurance Code - UIC § 13005

(a) “Employer” means any individual, person, corporation, association, partnership, or limited liability company, or any agent thereof, doing business in this state, deriving income from sources within this state, or in any manner whatsoever subject to the laws of this state, the State of California or any political subdivision or agency thereof, including the Regents of the University of California, any city organized under a freeholders' charter, or any political body not a subdivision or agency of the state, and any person, officer, employee, department, or agency thereof, making payment of wages to employees for services performed within this state, except as provided in subdivision (b).

(b) If the employer, as defined in subdivision (a), for whom the employee performs or performed the service does not have control of the payment of wages for such services, “employer” (except for purposes of Section 13009) means the person having control of the payment of such wages, whether or not the person having control of the payment of such wages is subject to the jurisdiction of the laws of this state.