2018: Possible Future California Employment Laws

Governor Jerry Brown and the California Legislature have had a busy year drafting bills to confront many of the state’s issues, including employment. While many of these bills have simply been introduced, others have passed assembly and the Senate and are waiting to be signed into law. These are a few of the more popular employment-related laws in the pipeline.

Opportunity to Work Act (AB 5)

The “Opportunity to Work Act” would require employers with 10 or more employees in California to offer additional hours of work to existing, non-exempt employees before hiring further employees or subcontractors. The bill would authorize an employee to file a complaint for violation of this provision and to bring a civil action for remedies.

Ban the Box (AB 1008)

AB 1008 would prohibit employers from asking a job applicant about their criminal history. Employers would also be banned from distributing a background check with certain information, such as an arrest without a conviction, an infraction, a misdemeanor older than 3 years or a felony older than 7 years. An employer may inquire about conviction history, but only after the job applicant has received a conditional offer.

Parental Leave Expansion (SB 63)

Currently, under the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), only employers with 50 or more employees in a 75-mile radius are obligated to offer up to 12 weeks of parental leave. That’s about 41% of the state’s workforce. SB 63 would require companies that employ 20 or more people within a 75-mile radius to offer protected parental leave.

Voluntary Veterans’ Preference Employment Policy Act (AB 353 and AB 1477)

“The Voluntary Veterans’ Preference Employment Policy Act” would authorize a private employer to give a voluntary preference for hiring or retaining a veteran over another qualified applicant or employee. The bill would revise the existing veteran status to give preference to veterans after the Vietnam War-era and to veterans of any sex.

If you have any issues concerning your employment, such as race discrimination, unpaid wages and wrongful termination, contact our Hollister employment law lawyer at Polaris Law Group today!