Update: On December 2, 2024, California updated its Paid Sick Leave Frequently Asked Questions, which address the expanded reasons for use of California paid sick leave detailed below.
Seyfarth Synopsis: Out with the old and in with the new. Governor Newsom recently signed new laws which extend and clarify employees’ available reasons for use of California paid sick
Continue Reading New and Improved California Leave Provisions for 2025Seyfarth Synopsis: With the Governor’s September 30 deadline to sign bills behind us, we review the employment bills that made the cut to become laws, as well as those that didn’t survive the season. The most notable new laws read intersectionality into FEHA protected categories, recast victims’ time off provisions, adjust paid family leave, and impact protections for freelance workers
Continue Reading Legislative Update: Bills That Made the Final Cut For 2024Seyfarth Synopsis: PAGA reform was officially introduced in the state Assembly and Senate! The language of the bills were released detailing the most substantive changes to PAGA in its 20-year history, and Governor Newsom signed them into law on July 1, 2024. The bills have numerous provisions that benefit California employers, including imposing more restrictive standing requirements for plaintiffs, codifying
Continue Reading PAGA Reform: AB 2288 and SB 92 PassedUpdate: On May 31, 2024, Governor Newsom passed S.B. 828, which delays implementation of S.B. 525, the health care minimum wage law signed by Governor Newsom on October 13, 2023. S.B. 828 delays all of the minimum wage adjustments in S.B. 525 by one month. This means that S.B. 525, which was set to take effect on June 1, 2024
Continue Reading Paging Healthcare Workers! California Legislature Passes Bill Raising Minimum WagesSeyfarth Synopsis: Senate Bill 553, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, requires nearly all employers in the State of California to prepare a Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, train employees on how to identify and avoid workplace violence, and maintain a violent incident log by July 1, 2024. On March 7, 2024, Cal/OSHA published the long-awaited model Workplace Violence
Continue Reading Workplace Violence Prevention Plans Required For California Employers by July 2024Seyfarth Synopsis: While Governor Newsom vetoed several impactful bills prior to his October 14, 2023, signing deadline, he approved a wide array of new laws with which businesses will need to comply with in 2024 and beyond, such as those affecting non-compete agreements, paid sick leave, workplace violence prevention plans, new minimum wage standards for health care workers, and more.
Continue Reading Legislative Update: The End of the Road (for 2023)Seyfarth Synopsis: The Governor has approved a new and adjusted Fast Food Council responsible for establishing minimum standards on wages and for developing minimum standards for other topics affecting workers in the industry, including health and safety conditions, protected time off work, and discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
Fresh Bill Off The Grill
On the heels of the FAST Act in
Continue Reading Governor Orders Extra Cheddar For Fast Food EmployeesSeyfarth Synopsis: For employees looking to leave somewhere greener for somewhere warmer, California may now be climbing to the top of their list. On September 1, 2023, Governor Newsom signed legislation that extends California’s restrictions on non-compete agreements to contracts signed out of state, effective January 1, 2024. Specifically, SB 699 provides that any contract that is void under California law is
Continue Reading Heads Carolina, Tails California – Expanded Non-Compete Prohibitions Cross State LinesSeyfarth Synopsis: Now that the Legislature’s September 14, 2023 deadline to pass bills to the Governor has come and gone, we are providing an overview of which employment bills are before the Governor for consideration, including bills that impact non-compete agreements, FEHA protected categories, paid sick leave, Cal-WARN, industry-specific requirements, and more.
It’s unnatural – 2023 saw a historic number
Continue Reading Legislative Update: Nearing the End of the Road (for 2023)Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 13, 2023, the California legislature passed S.B. 616, which is expected to significantly expand the State’s existing paid sick leave mandate by increasing the annual amount of paid sick leave from three days or 24 hours to five days or 40 hours for eligible employees, and raising the accrual cap from 48 hours to 80 hours.
Continue Reading Legislature Passes Amendments to Statewide Paid Sick Leave Law