California has famously strong worker protection laws. But every day, big companies regularly sidestep those laws with impunity by forcing employees to sign away the right to sue the employer in California or under California law. Now, with the passage of a new section of the state’s Labor Code, California is sending those companies a clear message: We won't let you get away with it any longer. Newly added Labor Code section 925 prohibits employers from requiring employees who primarily reside … [Read more...]
New California laws target racial pay gap, historical wage discrimination
One year ago, California made groundbreaking amendments to its Fair Pay Act as issues of pay equity and the gender pay gap rose to national prominence. Now, two new amendments to the Fair Pay Act will extend the law’s coverage to address race- and ethnicity-based wage inequity and attempt to undo the effects of decades of pay discrimination. One amendment, Senate Bill 1063, makes it a criminal misdemeanor for an employer to pay employees of one race or ethnicity less than it pays employees of … [Read more...]
San Francisco Leads Way With Paid Parental Leave
Many San Francisco workers will receive their full salary for six weeks after the birth or adoption of a child, thanks to a new law passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. San Francisco is the first city in the nation to mandate fully-paid parental leave. The San Francisco law closes the gap left by California’s parental leave mandate. Under California law, employees who have paid into the state disability insurance fund may take up to six weeks of leave to bond with a new child. … [Read more...]