6 New California Bills That Will Impact Your Employees

The end of the California legislative session is ending soon, and roughly 640 bills are waiting on Governor Jerry Brown’s desk.  Here is a complete list of bills all California employers should be watching:

Senate Bill 63: Unlawful Employment Practice: Parental Leave

This bill expands California’s current family leave law to employers with 20 or more employees, up from 50 or more employees. These employees could take up to 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave to bond with a new child within one year of the child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement.

Assembly Bill 168: Employers: Salary Information

This bill bans California employers from asking job candidates about salary history. Upon a job candidate’s request,the employer must provide an applicant with the pay scale for the position.

Assembly Bill 568: School and Community College Employees: Paid Maternity Leave

This bill requires school districts, charter schools and community colleges to provide at least six weeks of paid leave for pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth and recovery.

Assembly Bill 569: Discrimination: Reproductive Health

This bill protects women from being fired or disciplined for decisions relating to their reproductive health, such as use of any drug, device, or medical service.

AB 1008: Employment Discrimination: Conviction History

This bill is known as “Ban-the-Box,” which prohibits public and private employers from inquiring about past convictions on any application for employment. However, the employer can inquire about conviction history after giving a conditional offer of employment.

Assembly Bill 1565: Work Hours: Overtime Compensation: Executive, Administrative, or Professional Employees

This bill states an executive, administrative or professional employee is exempt from overtime pay if he/she earns a monthly salary of twice the state minimum wage or more than $3,956, whichever is higher.