California has recently enacted a new, controversial statute preventing employers from requiring employees to attend political or religious meetings. California Labor Code § 1137, which became effective on January 1, 2025, prohibits employers from discriminating against, retaliating against, or imposing adverse action on an employee, or threatening the same, because the employee declined to attend an employer-sponsored meeting or affirmatively declined to participate in or listen to employer communications about the employer’s opinion on religious or political matters. Additionally, if an employee refuses to attend such meeting and the meeting takes place during an employee’s scheduled shift, the employee must continue to be paid while the meeting is being held.

Key Provisions of the Law

1. What Meetings Qualify: Employees cannot be penalized for refusing to attend meetings that are political or religious in nature. Meetings are considered political if the meeting relates at all to political elections, political parties, legislation or regulations, or the decision to join or support a labor organization. A meeting relates to a religious matter if it discusses a religious affiliation or the decision to support or join any religious organization. The definitions for these terms are broad and could encompass a number of topics.
2. Exceptions to the Law: There are narrow exceptions to this law. Employers will not be viewed as violating the law who (1) are religious entities...

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