News & Analysis as of

Employee Rights State Labor Laws California

Most countries provide some degree of workplace protection for employees and job applicants. Depending on the jurisdiction, these protections generally include safety precautions and policies, anti-discrimination... more +
Most countries provide some degree of workplace protection for employees and job applicants. Depending on the jurisdiction, these protections generally include safety precautions and policies, anti-discrimination policies, collective bargaining and unionizing rights, meal and rest requirements, minimum wage rules, and medical and family leave rights to name a few. In the United States, the federal framework for employee rights stem from statutes such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In addition, employee rights statutes are implemented and enforced by regulatory authorities such as the EEOC, NLRB, OSHA, and the Department of Labor. Further, many state and local governments provide additional and localized protections for employees that are enforced by local regulatory entities. less -
McManis Faulkner

What Changes Will California Employees See With Paid Leave Laws in 2025?

McManis Faulkner on

In 2025, California is continuing to spearhead efforts to expand employees’ rights. Assembly Bill 2499 (AB 2499), Assembly Bill 2123 (AB 2123), and Senate Bill 1090 (SB 1090) are prime examples of these efforts, providing...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Legislation Grants Authority to California Labor Commissioner to Enforce Labor Code Provisions Related to Gratuities

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

California Governor Newsom recently signed Senate Bill (SB) 648, which authorizes the state’s Labor Commissioner to investigate and issue a citation or file a civil action for gratuities taken or withheld in violation of the...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

California Court Upholds Prospective Meal Period Waivers

In a favorable decision for California employers, the Court of Appeal in Bradsbery et al. v. Vicar Operating, Inc., 110 Cal.App.5th 899, affirmed that employers and employees can enter into prospective, written, and revocable...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

California Construction Employers May Rely On Legal Exemption To Drug Test for Marijuana

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California’s AB 2188 greatly expanded the scope of the state’s existing marijuana laws because it prohibits discrimination based on the off-duty use of marijuana. This prohibition creates a dilemma for employers who conduct...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Building an Exemption: California Construction Employers Allowed to Drug Test for Marijuana

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

California prohibits employers from discriminating against employees because of off-duty use of marijuana, with some exemptions. One exemption is for “the building and construction trades.” California’s AB 2188 greatly...more

Proskauer - California Employment Law

July 2025 California Employment Law Notes

We invite you to review our newly-posted, July 2025 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law...more

Proskauer - California Employment Law

Unsuccessful Whistleblower Was Not Entitled To Recover Attorney’s Fees

Lampkin v. County of Los Angeles, 2025 WL 1874669 (Cal. Ct. App. 2025) - D’Andre Lampkin, a deputy in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, investigated a man whom he believed was soliciting a prostitute. (In...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Refresher on California’s CROWN Act

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In 2019, California became the first state to pass the CROWN Act—short for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. This legislation prohibits discrimination based on natural hair textures and protective...more

Littler

Courts Clarify California Whistleblower Law

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Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal and the California Supreme Court provided helpful guidance on whistleblower retaliation cases. The Court of Appeal addressed who is a prevailing party entitled to fee and cost recovery...more

Littler

News of an Employee’s Arrest or Pending Criminal Charges Poses a Dilemma for California Employers

Littler on

Every day, the press reports on arrests for one reason or another in California and other states. Many of those arrested have jobs. In turn, the employers of the arrestees in California are confronted with a dilemma: on the...more

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

California Releases Final Employee Notice on Victim Leave Rights

The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) just released its long-awaited model employee notice triggering a new compliance obligation for all California employers regarding the rights of employees who are victims of...more

Berkshire

July California Minimum Wage Increases

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On January 1, 2025, California increased their state minimum wage to $16.50 per hour for all employers, regardless of size. While California may have one of the highest state-mandated minimum wages, voters rejected the...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

California Expands Protections for Employees Who Are Victims of Crime or Family Members of Victims: What Employers Need to Know...

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Assembly Bill 2499 (AB 2499), which took effect on January 1, 2025, broadens previous requirements on how California employers treat employees who are victims of violence or who are the family members of victims. The new law...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Weak Demand Leads to Layoffs Among California Wineries: Navigating the Legal Risks of Cost-Cutting

Husch Blackwell LLP on

Recent studies indicate a steady decline in alcohol consumption in the United States over the past several years, following a global trend that has seen decreases in alcohol consumption from Ireland to India. Several factors...more

Seward & Kissel LLP

Employment Litigation Roundup: June 2025

Seward & Kissel LLP on

In Miele v. Foundation Medicine, Inc., the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) held that the Massachusetts Noncompetition Agreement Act, G. L. c. 149, § 24L (the “Act”), which generally prohibits noncompete and...more

Weintraub Tobin

The CA Civil Rights Dept. Issues New Notice on Qualifying Acts of Violence Leave & Accommodation

Weintraub Tobin on

On July 1, 2025, the California Civil Rights Department (“CRD”) issued its new Notice entitled “Survivors Of Violence And Family Members Of Victims Right To Leave And Accommodations.” The new Notice was issued pursuant to...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

California Civil Rights Department Publishes Survivors of Violence’s Right to Leave & Accommodation Notice and FAQ

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

Last year, California expanded victims’ leave provisions with Assembly Bill (AB) 2499. AB 2499 required the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), which is responsible for enforcement of the expanded law, to develop and...more

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Where Are We Now With the Use of AI in the Workplace?

As we previously reported, employers must navigate a rapidly evolving legal landscape as artificial intelligence (AI) continues to transform the modern workplace. From federal rollbacks to aggressive state-level regulation,...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

California Labor Laws Protect Every Worker in the State, Regardless of Immigration Status

In light of recent immigration enforcement efforts at the federal level, the California Labor Commissioner issued a news release on Monday, June 9, 2025, pointedly reminding employers that the state's labor laws protect every...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

The feds may be backing down on LGBTQ protections, but should employers?

Don't overreact. (Or underreact.) This June, as corporations continue to roll back public support and funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, it is important for employers to be familiar with the current...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

PAGA Paraphrased – Osuna v. Spectrum Security Services, Inc.

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The Second District Court of Appeal held that, under the pre-reform PAGA statute, an individual employee need not have been employed or experienced a Labor Code violation during the one-year PAGA limitations period to have...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Cal/Osha’s Proposed Revisions to Its Draft Workplace Violence Prevention Regulation

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On May 13, 2025, Cal/OSHA released a new discussion draft of its proposed regulation on Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry. This latest version updates the July 15, 2024 draft we previously blogged about, and...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Update: Cal/OSHA Releases Revised Draft Workplace Violence Prevention Regulation, Strikes Prohibition on Confronting Shoplifters

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On May 13, 2025, Cal/OSHA released a new discussion draft of its proposed regulation on Workplace Violence Prevention in General Industry. This latest version updates the July 15, 2024 draft we previously blogged about, and...more

Hanson Bridgett

California Employers Can Use Prospective Meal Break Waivers for Short Shifts

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In a significant win for employers, the California Court of Appeal recently affirmed that prospective, revocable meal period waivers for shifts between five and six hours are lawful under both the Labor Code and applicable...more

Coblentz Patch Duffy & Bass

California Assembly Weighs Nation’s Broadest AI-Driven Workplace Surveillance Bill: AB 1221 Raises the Bar, and the Stakes, for...

In a move that could reshape day-to-day people-management practices across the state, the California Legislature is advancing Assembly Bill 1221 (“AB 1221”), a sweeping proposal that would regulate how employers deploy...more

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