A number of new employment laws are set to take effect January 1, 2016. We have provided a summary of a few of the laws below. The increase to the CA minimum hourly wage has the most sweeping effect for businesses, but there are a number of bills affecting employers from the last state legislative session that go into effect on January 1, 2016.
For additional information download the free CalChamber white paper released in December that provides detailed explanation of the laws below and several more new employment laws that will affect businesses in 2016.
Here is a rundown of some of the most important legislative updates:
| CA Minimum Wage | Minimum hourly wage increases from $9 to $10. May also affect exempt employees minimum salary. Additionally, some cities have their own minimum wage laws. |
| Fair Pay Law | Employers are restricted from paying employees at wage rates less than wage rates paid to employees of the opposite sex for substantially similar work, except for a limited list of exceptions not related to sex. |
| Protection for requesting accommodation | Employers are forbidden from retaliation or discrimination against individuals who request accommodations, even if the accommodation was not granted. |
| Protection for employees whose family members are engaged in protected conduct | Existing law is extended to prohibit employers from discrimination or termination of an employee or applicant because the employee or applicant’s family member has been involved in protected conduct. |
| Modification of piece-rate wage rule | Itemized statements for piece-rate paid employees must separate various items by hours, rate of pay and gross wages. |
| Kin Care Modifications | Updates definitions in Kin Care to mirror the new paid sick leave law. |
| E-Verify Limitation | Prohibits the use of E-Verify to check employment status of an applicant who has not been offered employment or existing employee, as not required by federal law. |
| State enforcement of local laws | Gives authority to the Labor Commissioner to make inquiries and enforce local overtime/minimum wage laws. |