By March 30, 2026, California employers are required to notify existing employees of the opportunity to identify an emergency contact and to allow employees to designate whether the contact should receive notification if the employee is arrested or detained at the jobsite, during work hours, or offsite while performing their job duties, and the employer has “actual knowledge of the arrest or detention of the employee.”
Some employers that rely on staffing arrangements, franchise relationships, or independent contractors may see meaningful shifts in federal labor policy because of a pair of federal agency rulemaking announcements released in February 2026.
Continue Reading Labor Policy Pendulum Swings Again: New Federal Rules Reshape Joint-Employer and Independent Contractor Standards
As California employers head into another year of compliance planning, the Golden State legislature has not slowed down. From higher wage thresholds and expanded pay-equity rules to sweeping changes affecting
Continue Reading ’Tis the Season for California’s New Employment Laws: Employer Considerations for 2026
As employers around the globe are increasingly looking to leverage AI and AI-adjacent automation in their recruiting and personnel processes, California has stepped onto the scene. On June 27
Continue Reading Beyond Bias: California Sets a New Standard for Regulating AI in the Workplace
Employees may believe they can premise a defamation case on their employment termination. However, Hearn v. Pac. Gas & Elec. Co., 108 Cal. App. 5th 301 (2025), holds otherwise.
Continue Reading California Court Turns Up the Heat: PG&E Case Requires Employees Claiming Defamation to Prove Damages Beyond Their Termination
On or before July 1, 2024, most California employers must establish a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan (WVPP) in addition to their Injury, Illness & Prevention Programs. Employers also need to provide training on their WVPP and keep prescribed records.
Continue Reading Coming to California Workplaces this Summer – Workplace Violence Prevention Plans
The California Supreme Court and the Legislature ushered in 2024 with two significant changes that may appear unrelated but that may impact California employers. We consider each in turn.
Effective Jan. 1, 2024, under the recently signed Senate Bill 848 (S.B. 848), covered California employers must provide eligible employees with a job-protected leave of absence following a reproductive loss. This
Continue Reading California Employers Must Provide Reproductive Loss Leave Starting Jan. 1, 2024
Starting Oct. 1, 2023, California employers must adhere to new regulations under the Fair Chance Act (FCA) concerning the use of an individual’s criminal history in employment decisions. These rules
Continue Reading (Background) Check It Out: Understanding California’s New Fair Chance Act Regulations on Criminal Records and Background Checks When Making Employment Decisions
On Feb. 15, 2023, the Ninth Circuit in Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta issued its ruling on the ongoing question of Assembly Bill (AB) 51’s enforceability in relation to arbitration
Continue Reading The End of AB 51?