California - General

California’s Governor Newsom recently signed SB 553 , requiring the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health to adopt a general industry workplace violence regulation by December 31, 2026. In the meantime, all California employers with one or more employees (working in any state) must i

California enacted two new bills expanding the scope and consequences of the state’s policies against restrictive covenants. Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 699 into law on September 1, 2023, and Assembly Bill 1076 into law on October 13, 3023. Both are designed to strengthen the protections in C

On October 10, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that will allow plaintiffs in California to continue pursuing claims during the pendency of an appeal to an order denying a petition to compel arbitration. The law is a significant blow to employers in litigation as it could

Executive Summary : Employers should look forward to another round of changes to the Golden State’s employment standards this year, the most challenging of which will be addressing employee protections for off-premises cannabis use, expanded paid sick leave benefits, and further restrictions on the

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 firs

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 Antid

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 discipli

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 additi

On September 20, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill No. 553 (“SB 553”) into law, which requires covered California employers to take steps to prevent and respond to workplace violence. Notably, SB 553 adds Section 6401.9 to the California Labor Code, which, effective July 1, 2024, requir

California SB 553, which takes effect July 1, 2024, creates the first general industry workplace violence prevention safety requirements in the United States. Covered employers must develop and create a workplace violence prevention plan as part of their Injury and Illness Prevention Plans. The

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) No. 428 on September 30, 2023. The new law expands California’s workplace violence restraining order law to protect against certain kinds of workplace harassment as well. SB 428 does not take effect until January 1, 2025.

California has implemented new regulations, effective October 1, 2023, that significantly change the employer criminal background check process for California applicants and employees. The following answers to ten frequently asked questions provide an explanation of how California’s new regulations

On September 30, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill (SB) No. 553, which requires virtually every California employer to take steps to prevent or respond to workplace violence.

On October 1, 2023, changes to the Fair Employment and Housing Act regulations that govern how employers can use information about criminal history in employment decisions go into effect, modifying California Code of Regulations Title 2, Section 11017.1. These revised regulations add to the already

California employers should be extremely cautious about timely paying arbitration fees or could pay the price – waiving their right to arbitrate and having to proceed in court. The California Legislature and courts have long been hostile to arbitration agreements. In 2019, the California Legislature

Join us on September 26 for a comprehensive webinar hosted by CDF as we delve into the crucial subject of arbitrating PAGA claims, exploring its implications following the California Supreme Court's landmark decision in Adolph v. Uber. Partners Corey Cabral, Chair of CDF’s PAGA Litigation Practice,

By: Governor Newsom Signs New Executive Order to Guide California’s Regulation of Artificial Intelligence By: Governor Newsom Signs New Executive Order to Guide California’s Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to tackle the new field of Ge