With the new year comes new laws and, for employees in California, new benefits and protections. Below are four of them all employers should be aware of, as existing policies and practices may need to be updated. Unless otherwise noted, all laws discussed took effect on January 1, 2023.

Bereavement Leave (AB 1949)

For the first time ever, California now provides protected time off for employees who experience a death in their family. Specifically, employers are now required to provide employees with up to five days of unpaid bereavement leave upon the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law. The law prohibits employers from requiring bereavement leave to be taken consecutively. However, employers may require bereavement leave to be taken within three months of the family member's death. Employers may also require verification of the need for bereavement leave. In addition, AB 1949 prohibits employers from discriminating or retaliating against an employee in response to or otherwise interfering with the employee's use of bereavement leave.

Pay Transparency Law (SB 1162)

California employees are now required to disclose pay scales for positions published in job postings. The new law applies to employers with 15 or more employees (including part-time employees), and affirmatively requires such covered employers to (a) include in all job postings, including those posted by third-party recruiters engaged by the employer, the...

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