California AB 2155 amends the California Arbitration Act, limiting enforcement of arbitration agreements excluded under federal law.
California Appellate Court Clarifies Standard for Knowledge of Employee’s Disability
In Husband v. Target Corp., a California appellate court held that FEHA disability liability does not arise where an employer lacked actual or imputed knowledge of an employee’s disability at the time of termination, offering useful guidance for California employers on accommodation obligations.
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Hollywood Production Dispute Highlights Reach of FEHA Retaliation Protections
The court examined claims brought by Blake Lively arising from the production of It Ends With Us, addressing the application of California law to alleged retaliation.
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California Courts Chart Their Own Course on Ministerial Exception in Wage and Hour Cases
Recent California appellate decisions are reshaping how religious organizations may need to think about wage and hour exposure.
California Employers Face March 30, 2026, Deadline to Offer Emergency Contact Designation
By March 30, 2026, California employers are required to notify existing employees of the opportunity to identify an emergency contact and to allow employees to designate whether the contact should receive notification if the employee is arrested or detained at the jobsite, during work hours, or offsite while performing their job duties, and the employer has “actual knowledge of the arrest or detention of the employee.”
Labor Policy Pendulum Swings Again: New Federal Rules Reshape Joint-Employer and Independent Contractor Standards
Some employers that rely on staffing arrangements, franchise relationships, or independent contractors may see meaningful shifts in federal labor policy because of a pair of federal agency rulemaking announcements released in February 2026.
Continue Reading Labor Policy Pendulum Swings Again: New Federal Rules Reshape Joint-Employer and Independent Contractor Standards
Ninth Circuit Warns California Employers Implementing Arbitration Agreements Mid-Litigation
On Jan. 28, 2026, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Avery v. TEKsystems, Inc. affirmed a district court order refusing to enforce an arbitration agreement rolled out during class litigation.
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’Tis the Season for California’s New Employment Laws: Employer Considerations for 2026
As California employers head into another year of compliance planning, the Golden State legislature has not slowed down. From higher wage thresholds and expanded pay-equity rules to sweeping changes affecting AI use, layoffs, and worker mobility, the coming year brings a slate of employment law updates that HR, legal, and business leaders may want to
California Claws Back: New Limits on Stay-or-Pay Contracts Starting Jan. 1, 2026
When employers offer new hires a sign-on bonus or existing employees a retention bonus, they typically structure the bonuses as an upfront payment subject to a conditional repayment obligation if the employee’s employment ends prior to a specified retention date.
However, effective Jan. 1, 2026, California Assembly Bill 692 (codified at Business & Professions Code
California Expands Whistleblower Retaliation Protections for Employees in the AI Sector
On Sept. 29, 2025, California Gov. Newsom signed Senate Bill 53, the Transparency in Frontier Artificial Intelligence Act, into law.
Continue Reading California Expands Whistleblower Retaliation Protections for Employees in the AI Sector