|
Implementation Date |
Description |
Law (Bill) |
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WAGE HOUR |
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January 1, 2015 |
Employers liable for wage violations of labor contractors |
Adds Lab. Code, § 2810.3 (AB1897) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Paid rest periods include cool down periods for an employee to prevent heat illness in covered industries |
Amends Lab. Code, § 226.7 (SB 1360) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Expands penalty for failure to pay minimum wages to resigned or discharged employee |
Amends Lab. Code, § 1197.1 (AB 1723) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Clarified that the statute of limitations for recovering liquidated damages for minimum wage violations applies to the underlying wage claim (3 years) |
Amends Lab. Code, § 1194.2 AB 2074 |
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January 1, 2015 |
Increased penalties for violation of child labor laws; tolls statute of limitations for child labor claims until aggrieved party is the age of majority |
Adds Lab. Code, § 1311.5 (AB 2288) |
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EMPLOYEE LEAVES |
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July 1, 2015 |
Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 – Employers must provide paid sick leave to all employees meeting certain requirements; posting required January 1, 2015 |
Amends Lab. Code, §2810.5; adds Article 1.5 (commencing with Section 245) (AB 1522) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Expands definition of emergency rescue personnel and protects time-off for emergency duty; notification requirements to employer for emergency duty deployment |
Amends Lab. Code, § 230.3 (AB 2536) |
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WORKPLACE SAFETY |
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January 1, 2015 |
CAL/OSHA penalties cannot be modified unless the employer has fixed the violation |
Amends Lab. Code, §§ 6319, 6320, and 6625 (AB 1634) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Permits employers to notify the Division of Occupational Safety and Health by telephone or email of a work related serious injury |
Amends Lab. Code, § 6409.1 (AB 326) |
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HEALTH CARE COVERAGE |
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January 1, 2015 |
Insurance can have up to 90-day authorization period per Affordable Care Act; employers must notify employees of consequences for failing to enroll in coverage in open enrollment |
Various amendments to Health and Saf. Code and Ins. Code (SB 1034) |
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DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT AND RETALIATION |
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January 1, 2015 |
Protects discrimination against unpaid interns and volunteers |
Amends Gov. Code, § 12940 (AB 1443) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Employers to provide training to prevent “abusive conduct” in sexual harassment training for supervisors |
Amends Gov. Code, § 12950.1 (AB 2053) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Prohibits discrimination based on possessing a driver’s license issued under Vehicle Code, section 12801.9 (federally undocumented individuals) |
Amends Gov. Code, § 12926 and various sections of the Vehicle Code (AB 1660) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Expands definition of unfair immigration-related practice; clarifies that the $10,000 penalty against an employer that discriminates or retaliates against an employee who complains about Labor Code violations goes to the employee |
Amends Lab. Code, §§ 98.6, 1019 and 1024.6 (AB 2751) |
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January 1, 2015 and January 1, 2016 |
Prohibits discrimination and retaliation against employees for receiving public assistance programs; state agencies required to publically publish list of top employers with most number of employees on public assistance programs |
Add and repeal Gov. Code, § 13084; amends Unemp. Ins. Code, § 1095; add and repeal Welf. and Inst. Code, § 11026.5 (AB 1792) |
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January 1, 2015 |
Businesses that provide services to minors must provide to the parent/guardian their policies relating to obtaining criminal background checks for employees |
Adds Chapter 2.8 (commencing with Section 18950) to Division 8 of the Bus. & Prof. Code; amends Pen. Code, § 11105.3 (AB1852) |
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For more information on upcoming changes to California’s employment laws in 2015, contact Simpson Delmore Greene, LLP.
