As a California employer, you are likely already aware of the sometimes significant expansions of employer obligations and employee protections that can occur each year in October. 2025 was no different than past years, with various bills being proposed and many becoming new laws which will impact employers immediately and into the future. The following summarizes the new employment laws about which California employers should be aware. Unless otherwise noted, the law will take effect on January 1, 2026.
AB 406 (Workplace Protections for Victims of Violence): AB 406 expands upon last year’s legislation reorganizing California’s crime victim time off and accommodations law. This bill adds a new reason for which protected time off can be taken, prohibiting employers from discharging or taking other action against an employee who is a victim or a family member of a victim for taking time off in order to attend judicial proceedings related to that crime. For purposes of this new provision only, AB 406 creates a different definition of “victim” which includes being subjected to one of 14 different crimes enumerated by Government Code section 12945.8(j)(8)(c). These changes will prompt employers to review their handbook crime victim policies and the new notice that was just published by the Civil Rights Department on July 1, 2025, will likely need to be updated. The law also revises notice requirements under California’s jury duty law, requiring reasonable “advance” notice to...
[OSEN=Jang Woo-young Reporter] Amid repeated denials from actor Park Si-hoo’s side regarding allegations of facilitating an affair, a close associate also emphasized that the claims are “baseless”...