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Seyfarth Synopsis: With Governor Newsom’s September 30 bill-signing deadline behind us, we review California’s new employment laws for 2027. The most spine-tingling among them are regulations of employers’ use of automated decision systems, changes to last year’s “stay or pay” law, and amendments impacting temporary restraining orders, bereavement leave, and workplace surveillance. But there are no ghosts or ghouls lurking…

Continue Reading California’s 2026 Employment Bills: Tricks and Treats This Legislative Season

Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Legislature concluded the second year of its 2024-2026 session on September 1, 2026, and sent the last of its approved bills to Governor Newsom for consideration. The Governor has until September 30 to approve or veto fewer bills than we’ve seen in years, but those that remain will still impact employers in California.

On September 1…

Continue Reading California Legislative Update: Which Bills Will Make the Cut?

By: Kristina M. Launey and Catherine Feldman

Seyfarth Synopsis:  With Governor Newsom’s October 13 deadline to sign bills behind us, we review California’s new employment laws. The most notable among them are new pay equity requirements, amendments to Cal-WARN and leave laws, and extensions of meal and rest period exemptions for certain industries.

According to Chris Micheli, Governor Newsom…

Continue Reading California 2025 Bill Signing Wrap Up: New Employment Laws

Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 8, 2025, Governor Newsom signed into law SB 642, which amends California’s equal pay requirements, including revising the “pay scale” definition, extending the statute of limitations for equal pay claims to three years and permitting recovery for a period up to six years, and defining key terms such as “wages.” On October 13, 2025, Governor Newsom…

Continue Reading California Amends Its Pay Transparency and Pay Data Laws

Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Legislature concluded its 2024-2025 session in the wee hours of September 13, 2025, and sent the last of its approved bills to Governor Newsom for consideration. The Governor has until October 13 to approve or veto a variety of bills impacting employers in California.

The California Legislature put pencils down on September 13, 2025, and sent…

Continue Reading California Legislative Update: Legislature’s Pens Down, Governor Gets to Work

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 2025

Seyfarth 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 2024

Seyfarth 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 Passed

Update: 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 Wages

Seyfarth 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 2024