Editorial note: On October 8, 2023, Governor Newsom vetoed AB 504. His veto message stated, “Unfortunately, this bill is overly broad in scope and impact. The bill has the potential to seriously disrupt or even halt the delivery of critical public services, particularly in places where public services are co-located. This could have significant, negative

Nearly all California employers are impacted by, and should be familiar with, the provisions of the California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”) and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”).  There are currently bills working their way through the Legislature that would modify these key statutes.

AB 1949: Modifying CFRA to Include Bereavement Leave

The CFRA

In June 2021, the Supreme Court declined an invitation to overturn Employment Division, Department of Human Resources of Oregon v. Smith, its seminal 1990 case holding that a facially neutral and generally applicable law survives a challenge under the Free Exercise Clause if it is rationally related to a legitimate government interest.  However, the

AB 89, also known as the Peace Officers Education and Age Conditions for Employment, or “PEACE” Act, went into effect on January 1, 2022.

The most straightforward piece of that legislation was Government Code section 1031.4, which raises the minimum age for most peace officer employment from 18 to 21.  This is a current requirement

On February 9, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (“SB”) 114[1] into law. The law reauthorizes COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“SPSL”), providing paid leave entitlements to employees who are unable to work or telework due to a number of qualifying reasons related to COVID-19. The law becomes effective on February 19, 2022 and

This week, the California Legislature is considering the adoption of Assembly Bill (“AB”) 84, which would reauthorize COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (“SPSL”). If passed, the bill would require that most employers in the state provide paid sick leave to employees for certain reasons related to COVID-19.

Earlier this week, the State Senate adopted AB

Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 45 (“AB 45”) into law on October 6, 2021.  AB 45 is landmark legislation for the Cannabidiol (“CBD”) and hemp infused product industry in California.  CBD and hemp infused products became widely available across the country following the federal government’s adoption of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.  Recreational

We are excited to announce a new video series designed especially to serve our public safety clients. Our short Public Safety Video Briefings will tackle cutting-edge issues and core principles relevant to public safety employers. We hope you find these videos useful and thought-provoking.