2018 California Employment Legislation and Regulatory Update

The California Legislature in 2017 adopted multiple statutes that increase the complexity and scope of employment regulation. Most notable was the passage and signing of Assembly Bill 168, which prohibits employers from inquiring into or considering a job applicant's prior salary or benefits in hiring or setting compensation unless the applicant voluntarily discloses that information without prompting. Further, in response to actions by the Trump Administration, the California Legislature passed legislation that, among other things, more robustly protects the rights of immigrants. 

In addition to legislation signed into law in 2017, two notable developments are worthy of mention. First, Governor Brown vetoed AB 1209, which would have required larger employers (those with 500 or more employees) to publicly disclose average and median salaries of exempt employees by their genders. Second, the California minimum wage for employers with 26 or more employees increased to $11.00 on January 1, 2018. 

Read the full White Paper.