Seyfarth Synopsis: For California employers, compliance with the Fair Chance Act (FCA) is not a game. In recent years, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) has stepped up its investigations into complaints of FCA violations, and employers who don’t know the rules risk landing on a chute at every turn. Read on for our guide
By: Heather Frisch, Christopher Bouquet, and Ashley Stein
Seyfarth Synopsis: As of January 1, 2026, AB 889 bulldozed California’s Prevailing Wage law, which impacts public works employers—including public agencies, the contractors that work for them, and private owners and developers whose projects may be subject to public works requirements. The amended law reframes
Seyfarth Synopsis: As the world turns its eyes to California this weekend for Super Bowl LX, employers doing business in California may not only think of warm weather and great football, but also the Labor Commissioner, aka the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), a division of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) tasked with investigating
By: Heather E. Horn & Jonathan L. Brophy
Seyfarth Synopsis: It’s the most wonderful time of the year—until someone spikes the punch and your company lands on a naughty list. Holiday parties are great for spreading cheer, but they can lead to liability faster than the bartender can pour eggnog at an open bar. Here’s
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently passed a Hotel Worker Protections Ordinance for the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles. Beginning April 1, 2026, covered employers will need to comply with new safety mandates, housekeeping workload caps, and overtime limitations. The Ordinance’s training requirements will take effect October 1, 2026. This is
By: Kristina Launey and Martha Gates
Seyfarth Synopsis: As swashbuckling trick or treaters are donning their swords, and fearing getting trapped in a Halloween haunted house or corn maze, employers operating in California are navigating the mental maze of deciphering a path to compliance with AB 692. Read on for our summary of the tricks
Seyfarth Synopsis: With Governor Newsom’s October 13 deadline to sign bills behind us, we review California’s new employment laws. The most notable among them are new pay equity requirements, amendments to Cal-WARN and leave laws, and extensions of meal and rest period exemptions for certain industries. According to Chris Micheli, Governor Newsom approved 794
Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 8, 2025, Governor Newsom signed into law SB 642, which amends California’s equal pay requirements, including revising the “pay scale” definition, extending the statute of limitations for equal pay claims to three years and permitting recovery for a period up to six years, and defining key terms such as “wages.” On
Seyfarth Synopsis: To advance public safety and reduce retail theft, the Long Beach City Council has enacted the Grocery and Drug Store Staffing Standards for Self-Service Checkout Stations Ordinance. Effective September 21, 2025, this law imposes staffing requirements and restrictions on self-service checkout operations in Long Beach, California grocery and drug stores.
On August
Seyfarth Synopsis: The California Legislature concluded its 2024-2025 session in the wee hours of September 13, 2025, and sent the last of its approved bills to Governor Newsom for consideration. The Governor has until October 13 to approve or veto a variety of bills impacting employers in California.
The California Legislature put pencils down on