More than 20 new labor and employment bills were signed into state law this year. The California Chamber of Commerce provides a concise summary in its New California Employment Laws Effective Now and Coming January 1, 2021 white paper.
Not only were new COVID-19-related laws passed in the areas of workers’ compensation, paid sick leave and workplace safety, but also beginning January 1, 2021, employers must follow stringent COVID-19 recording and reporting requirements.
Other new laws are related to leaves of absence; worker classification; discrimination, harassment and retaliation protections; privacy; and wage and hour. One of the most substantial bills in this legislative session was SB 1383, which significantly expands the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) to include all employers with five or more employees—effectively eliminating the New Parent Leave Act, the obligations of which will be folded into the expanded CFRA. This expansion will have a major impact on small businesses.