Governor Gavin Newsom signed numerous employment law-related bills heading into the last weekend of September. Below are summaries of the most significant laws that will impact California employers starting on January 1, 2025.

SB 399 (Captive Audience Meetings): SB 399 creates Labor Code Section 1137, which makes it unlawful for employers to require employees to attend mandatory meetings involving religious or political matters, with certain limited exceptions. Under this new law, discipline or discharge for failure to attend such meetings is unlawful. “Political matters” are defined to include the decision to join or support a political or labor organization. Employers face penalties of up to $500 per employee per violation. The statute may be enforced either by the Labor Commissioner or through civil lawsuits. The statutory language broadly defines “employees” protected by the statute to be anyone “under the control and direction of an employer for wages or other remuneration.” Among other exceptions, the statute does not prohibit employers from communicating with employees about subject matter legally required or necessary to perform duties. The statute does not apply to mission-specific situations involving religious institutions exempt from certain employment laws, political organizations, educational institutions, tax-exempt training programs, employers training employees to comply with legal obligations, or certain employers holding workplace orientations.

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