As we wind down 2025, here are some of the changes California employers need to be aware of to be prepared in 2026.
State Law
California SB 596: Increases Penalties for Healthcare Staffing Ratio Violations
Senate Bill 20: California Expands Worker Protections Against Silica Dust Exposure
Senate Bill 464: California Mandates Tougher Pay Data Reporting
As the calendar turns to 2026, the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions offers a unique opportunity for the corporate world. However, a healthy workplace ecosystem relies on a two-way street; it requires commitment from leadership and engagement from the workforce. After all, the modern workplace is a shared environment where legal compliance, culture, and
In what has become an annual tradition for my final post of the year, I present the holiday classic, ‘Twas the Employment Law Night Before Christmas … tweaked and updated for 2025.
To all of my readers, connections, and followers, new and legacy, thank you all for reading, commenting, and sharing throughout the year. Please
Amazon recently announced 14,000 layoffs, but company executives are not blaming the downsizing on financial performance or the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI). Instead, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy attributed the layoffs to a “mismatch in company culture.”
The CEO’s statement has concerned HR professionals. If HR has erred in hiring as many as 14,000
For most California employers, employee time and pay data has historically been treated as a legal obligation—something you keep because the law requires it, not because it creates value.
That mindset needs to change in 2026.
After years of defending employers in wage-and-hour class actions and PAGA cases, I have seen firsthand how employee data
In response to the horrific November attack on National Guard members in Washington, D.C. and other geopolitical events, the President and U.S. immigration agencies have implemented initiatives and rolled out proposals to expand existing travel bans and dramatically increase vetting and personnel data collection of visa applicants and travelers entering and exiting the United States.
Something has gone sideways when the Chair of the EEOC is publicly urging white men to file discrimination charges.
Yes, I said it that bluntly, because sometimes clarity matters more than politeness.
Let’s start with the part Andrea Lucas and her supporters rush to say first: Title VII protects all employees. Race is race. Sex
The foundation of American democracy and the pursuit of justice are currently facing extraordinary challenges, demanding resolute leadership from our nation’s top legal advocates. It was truly an honor and a privilege to welcome a guest to The Legal Lens Podcast who embodies this resilience and commitment: Attorney Ashley Upkins, the current President of the
The 6th Circuit just handed employers a clear win in Bowles v. Chicken Salad Chick. The court held that a fast-casual restaurant did not have to accommodate a cashier/service employee who requested to sit for five minutes after every ten minutes of standing. That request would have eliminated essential job functions and fundamentally changed the
As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more widely used in hiring and employment decisions, Illinois has taken a significant step to regulate how employers must inform workers about AI’s use. Effective January 1, 2026, House Bill 3773 amended the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) to require, among other things, employer notice when AI influences or facilitates