First off, I am not an attorney, but I do have experience in employee relations and finance. (I was a CFO for 19 years in North Carollna);
Generally, as an employee you are not responsible for the financial solvency of your employer’s customer.
An employment lawyer is a good idea, however as a resident of California your best bet initially is the California Department of Labor (it might be named something slightly different)
Employment law in California is structured to favor employees more so than in most other states.
I had two experiences with disputes with salespeople in California and both were resolved by the Department of Labor in favor of the former employee. (One was a prima facie case of defrauding us but we lost any way. On the other hand I had a free weekend in San Francisco on the company)
Seriously make an inquiry at the Department of Labor before you get an attorney involved with this. They will work with you to determine your rights and stand behind you if you file a complaint.
SRM