Employment Law Information Network
All Things Labor and Employment Law
By: More Minimum Wage Increases Hitting California Employers Soon
Effective January 1, 2024, the general statewide minimum wage will increase by .50 cents, bringing the hourly rate from $15.50 to $16.00.
Please also keep in mind that many (around 35-40) cities and counties in California have local minimum wages that apply
On October 11, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law allowing for leaves of absence for reproductive-related losses. Senate Bill 848 makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to refuse to grant an eligible employee’s request to take up to five days of leave following
On October 10, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill (AB) No. 933.
The post California Extends Defamation Privilege Defenses to Assault, Sexual Harassment, and Workplace Discrimination Complainants appeared first on Ogletree.
On October 8, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed Assembly Bill (AB) No. 1356, which would have required employers to provide workers with earlier notice in the event of a mass layoff.
The post Governor Newsom Vetoes Bill That Would Have Given California Employees Earlier Layoff Warning appeared first on Ogletree.
On October 7, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed proposed bill SB 403, which, as previously discussed, sought to ban discrimination based on caste under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Unruh Civil Rights Act, and California Education Code. Governor Newsom’s message called this change “unnecessary” because these statutes
California’s Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 54, which requires a venture capital company to report annually to the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) on its funding determinations related to companies primarily founded by diverse founding team members.
Under the law, a venture capital company is covered by the requirements if
Senate Bill (SB) 848, scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2024, requires employers with 5 or more employees to provide employees who have worked for at least 30 days with up to five days of reproductive loss leave.
Under the new law, it is unlawful for a covered
On October 10, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 723, which moves the expiration the right of recall rights for employees in the hospitality and service industry from December 31, 2024, to December 31, 2025. The bill adds a presumption that a separation due to a lack of business,
On October 7, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) No. 700 into law, expanding California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act to protect applicants from discrimination based on prior cannabis use, with certain exceptions.
The post California Expands Marijuana Employment Antidiscrimination Law appeared first on Ogletree.
On October 8, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill (SB) No. 497—also referred to as the Equal Pay and Anti-Retaliation Protection Act. SB 497 amends California Labor Code Sections 98.6, 1102.5, and 1197.5 to create a rebuttable presumption of retaliation if an employee is disciplined or discharged
On October 4, 2023, Governor Newsom signed SB 616, significantly modifying the 2014 Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act (“HWHFA”). The new law is effective January 1, 2024.
Executive Summary: On October 4, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB 616, which amends the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (HWHFA) (California Labor Code Section 245.5) to provide nearly all employees working in California with two additional days or 16 additional hours of paid sick leave. This new law goes into effect on January 1, 2024.
Later this month, we will report on all the new employment-related laws that California has enacted for 2024. However, this article focuses on the bills that Newsom vetoed. Some of these are a bit of a surprise.
SB 799: This bill would have required the EDD to treat employees who are on strike as eligible for unemployment. Many labor law attorneys, including the author of this article, anticipated that Newsom would sign this bill and allow California to join New York and New Jersey, as states that require UI benefits be paid to striking workers. However, Newsom vetoed the bill and indicated that the EDD did not have the finances to expand UI benefits to striking workers. The unions are very disappointed in Newsom for this veto.
On October 7, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 700, which makes it unlawful under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) for an employer to discriminate against a job applicant based on information regarding prior use of cannabis that is learned from a criminal history.
However, SB 700
