Key Employment Law Updates in California for 2025

By Eugene Bruno on November 13, 2024

California continues to strengthen protections for employees in the workplace with several new laws and updates that employers must take note of in 2025. Here’s what you need to know.

1. New Retaliation Poster Requirement

Employers will now be required to post a list of employees’ rights under California whistleblower laws. These laws protect employees from retaliation when they report illegal activities, unsafe conditions, or other violations. Protections include safeguards against termination, demotion, or other adverse actions, along with remedies like reinstatement, back pay, and emotional distress damages for those affected.

2. Changes to Paid Family Leave

Previously, California employers could require employees to use up to two weeks of accrued vacation time before receiving state-provided paid family leave benefits. This option will be eliminated, allowing employees to avoid depleting their vacation time before taking family leave.

3. Expanded Protections for Victims of Violence

Assembly Bill (AB) 2499 will enhance protections for employees who are victims of violence, including expanded rights to take time off to secure restraining orders, attend court proceedings, or find a safe place to live. Employers will be prohibited from retaliating against employees for exercising these rights.

4. Driver’s License Job Requirement Restrictions

California now limits when employers can require a driver’s license in job postings. If driving isn’t a core function of the role, employers must consider whether alternative transportation methods, like biking or ridesharing, could fulfill the position’s requirements without undue cost or time burdens.

5. Intersectional Nondiscrimination Protections (SB 1137)

Intersectional discrimination, which is discrimination based on a combination of factors like age, race, and gender, is now explicitly prohibited in California. This means employees will be able to claim discrimination based on a combination of factors, even if no single factor alone (e.g., just age or sex) would support such a claim.

Employers are advised to review and update policies to reflect this broader standard and ensure thorough investigations into claims of discrimination.

6. No Minimum Wage Increase for 2025 (PROP 32)

Proposition 32, which proposed raising the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour, appears to have been narrowly defeated in the November 5, 2024, election. The final vote count was approximately 50.8 percent against and 49.2 percent in favor. This outcome marks the first time in nearly 30 years that California voters have rejected a statewide minimum wage increase.

Protecting Your Employee Rights With Legal Help

If you think your employer may have violated your rights, you may be entitled to compensation—the lawyers at Eugene Bruno & Associates can help. Call our San Diego law firm at 1-888-BRUNO-88 (1-888-278-6688) to discuss your case with one of our experienced attorneys today.