Most California employers took care of the February 1, 2026 distribution deadline under SB 294 — the Workplace Know Your Rights Act. But many have not yet addressed the law’s second compliance obligation, which arrives on March 30, 2026. That deadline is now two weeks away.
By March 30, every California employer must give current
California is technically an at-will employment state. But practically speaking, that designation comes with so many asterisks that employers who treat at-will as a blank check to terminate anyone at any time are setting themselves up for costly litigation.
Here are five things every California employer needs to understand about the at-will doctrine:
1. At-Will
On February 6, 2026, the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to adopt the first-ever set of formal regulations governing PAGA’s administrative procedures. That sentence alone should get the attention of every California employer.
Since PAGA was enacted in 2004, and even after the landmark 2024 reforms, there
As the holiday season approaches, it’s a perfect time for California employers to revisit their policies on holiday leave, scheduling, and pay practices. Last week, we covered key vacation considerations for the busy season. This week, we’re focusing on five important reminders to help ensure compliance and smooth operations as the year winds down.
1.
As we move deeper into 2025, it’s the perfect time for California employers to return to the fundamentals. With ever-evolving employment laws and aggressive enforcement—especially around wage and hour issues—getting the basics right can mean the difference between smooth operations and costly litigation.
As a preview to our upcoming webinar, “Wage and Hour Back
As we discussed last week, makeup time provides flexibility for California employers and employees to offset time taken off within the same workweek without incurring overtime obligations. Additionally, the California Labor Code permits the use of compensatory time, commonly known as “comp time.” However, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) imposes significant limitations on
Being named as a defendant in a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) or class action lawsuit can be overwhelming, especially for a quickly growing company. However, with planning, a company can minimize the impact of the litigation on its existing operations and put forth the best defense.
A lawyer who has experience in employment law
It is a common argument by plaintiff’s counsel in wage and hour class actions: The employer’s policy that requires the employee to remain on the company premises during 10-minute rest breaks facially violates California law. Because the employer has a facially invalid rest break policy, it is a company wide policy that is uniform, and
As California employers already know, noncompliance with the numerous employment regulations can result in serious legal consequences, monetary penalties, and damage to an organization’s reputation. One of the most effective ways for employers to ensure compliance with employment laws is by using checklists. Checklists are useful tools that can help employers keep track of their
As we start 2023 it is a perfect time for companies to conduct a California employment law practices audit to ensure that policies are compliant, managers are properly trained, and the company is maintaining the required records for the necessary length of time. Here are five topics to review in conducting an audit and a