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
New state laws impacting employers will be going into effect on January 1, 2025. Below is a non-exhaustive summary of major state laws taking effect January 1, 2025. Employers should be mindful of and continue to follow...more
In the spirit of the season, we are using our annual "12 Days of California Labor and Employment" blog series to address new California laws and their impact on employers. On the fourth day of the holidays, my labor and...more
California’s 2024 legislative session wrapped up with Governor Gavin Newsom signing significant bills affecting employers’ workplace policies and operations in the state. The new laws below take effect on Jan. 1, 2025....more
Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill earlier this month that would have made California the first state to ban caste-based discrimination. Senate Bill No. 403 would have expanded the definition of “ancestry” under the California...more
California is poised to enact the first statewide ban on caste discrimination in the United States. Senate Bill 403 integrates “caste” into the definition of “ancestry” as a characteristic protected from discrimination by...more
John Jenkins yesterday wrote about the New York City Controller's initiative asking boards of directors to adopt a policy "requiring that the initial lists of candidates from which new management-supported director nominees...more
The California legislature has reached the midpoint of its 2016 legislative session. The Governor has signed four bills of significance to California private sector employers. In addition, a few dozen workplace-related bills...more