Employment law constantly evolves, bringing new challenges to your HR department. By keeping an eye on changing legislation across the country, you can prepare your organization to remain compliant and be ready when laws change in your neck of the woods.
On a recent episode of Paycom’s HR Break Room podcast, we talked with Coby Turner, senior editor of the California Peculiarities Employment Law Blog and a Seyfarth Shaw associate, about a few strange employment laws emerging from the Golden State. Here are three key takeaways from our conversation.
1. Historically, California has been a trendsetter in employment law
Given California’s history as a trendsetter in U.S. law employment, business professionals should consider how the state’s laws may impact their company in the future.
One example is paid sick leave, which started in the city of San Francisco before spreading statewide. Other West Coast states – including Arizona, Oregon and Washington – since have passed similar legislation. Other California laws that have expanded beyond its borders include local minimum wage and medical marijuana initiatives.
2. Prepare your business beforehand
When a city implements a law, other cities and states wait to see how successful it is. Did the law hurt businesses? Did businesses leave the city or state? In most recent cases, like San Francisco’s paid sick leave, the answer is no.
According to Coby Turner, these changes often improve the lives and engagement of employees, which leads to organizations experiencing less turnover and more success. Turner said once a “test” city’s new legislation plays out, other cities or states may petition similar legislation on ballot measures, and employees may be the ones who push their representatives to enact such initiatives.
It’s important to be aware as these changes occur, so you never play from behind. Prepare for such changes to come to your own city or state, as word spreads fast. When top talent hears that paid sick leave or predictive scheduling are requirements in another state, they may want – and expect – the same. For employers outside of California, this makes paying attention crucial, especially if your organization wishes to attract and employ millennial talent from across the country.
3. Watch for updates on predictive scheduling and equal pay laws
Getting a lion’s share of attention is California’s measure on predictive scheduling, currently in the state’s legislature. Such laws in the cities of Berkeley and Emeryville require employers to give employees a certain amount of notice of their weekly schedule; employers making last-minute changes are penalized. Those cities also require employers to offer part-time employees more hours before hiring new people or temporary workers.
California also has instituted one of the stiffest pay equity laws in the country. Several similar laws already have been enacted, particularly on the West Coast and in various metropolitan areas across the U.S.
Additionally, the Golden State also recently required supervisors to undergo training against sexual harassment and bullying – topics expected to grow more popular within the larger national conversation about workplace harassment.
To learn more about California and its laws that gained nationwide impact, check out our posts dedicated to the golden state:
- How Employers Can Look to California as a Trendsetter
- California Legally Recognizes ‘Non-binary’ as Third Gender, EEO-1 reporting remains the same
- California ‘Ban the Box’ Law to Take Effect Jan. 1
- California Expands Harassment Training Requirements
- Is it Legal to Request Compensation History during Job Interviews?
- California and New York Set $15 Minimum Wage Precedent
- Fight for $15: Tentative Deal for Minimum Wage Increase in California
- California Governor Signs Bill to Close the Wage Gap
Disclaimer: This blog includes general information about legal issues and developments in the law. Such materials are for informational purposes only and may not reflect the most current legal developments. These informational materials are not intended, and must not be taken, as legal advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. You need to contact a lawyer licensed in your jurisdiction for advice on specific legal problems.