I signed a lease to rent an apartment. Within hours I found out I could not lease it from my job. I immediately notified the owner but according to the owner I have to wait to get my money back until they rent the apartment. Being that they were notified almost immediately after signing the lease is there a provision in the law that a lease is broken in a short time after signing that the lease is no longer valid? The ink didn't even get enough time to dry! I live in California.

No, in fact the law says you are to pay the full rent until they rent the apartment to someone else ( in most US states)

That is why of course if they take 3 months in renting it out, you will owe rent there for 3 months. So hopefully this rental will rent fast.