Compliance Stuff

California lawmakers introduced  Assembly Bill 1940  ( AB 1940 ) in February 2026 to expressly include perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause within the definition of “sex” under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). If enacted, the bill would remove any ambiguity as to whether menopause-related conditions are covered and would put employers on clear notice that discrimination, harassment, or failure to accommodate employees experiencing these conditions may constitute unlawful sex-based discrimination. What AB 1940 Does The bill would make three primary changes to California law. Expands the Definition of “Sex” Under FEHA . AB 1940 would amend Government Code section 12926 to add perimenopause, menopause, postmenopause, and related medical conditions to FEHA’s existing definition of “sex,” which currently includes pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. Employers with five or more employees would be expressly prohibited from taking adverse actions, inc...

  Heads up, HR leaders. On July 1, 2025, California’s Civil Rights Department (CRD) released the official Model Crime Victims Notice, titled “ Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims Right to Leave and Accommodations .” This notice is now live on the CRD’s website  here  — and its publication triggers new obligations for employers across the state.  What’s New for Employers? California has long required protections for employees who are victims of crime, including time off to attend court proceedings and providing reasonable workplace accommodations. AB 2499, which was effective on January 1, 2025, the law goes farther, including: Expanded definitions of who qualifies as a crime victim New requirements for safety-related accommodations for employees or their family members who are crime victims Additional time-off protections for employers with 25 or more employees Your HR Compliance Checklist You must provide the new notice to all employees upon hire, an...

Last year, California expanded victims’ leave provisions with  Assembly Bill (AB) 2499 . AB 2499 required the California Civil Rights Department (CRD), which is responsible for enforcement of the expanded law, to develop and publish a written notice of employee rights under the expanded law by July 1, 2025. As required, the CRD published the new notice, which is available on its  website . The notice is available in 13 languages in addition to English. AB 2499 requires employers to inform each employee of their rights established under the expanded law in writing upon hire, annually, at any time upon request , and any time an employee informs an employer that the employee or the employee’s family member is a victim.  AB 2499 allows employers to use the newly published notice developed by the CRD to satisfy this requirement. The CRD also published a  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)  on the updates to the law. The FAQs cover: General Questions Taking Time Off Wor...

Earlier this year, we covered Assembly Bill 2499, a significant new law expanding workplace protections for victims of crime. As of January 1, 2025, California employers have several new obligations—including providing written notice to employees about their rights under this law.  (The California Civil Rights Department (CRD) will issue the notice by July 1, 2025.) Here’s what you need to know in the meantime. Who’s Covered AB 2499 broadened the definition of “victim” to include anyone subjected to a qualifying act of violence, not just domestic violence or stalking. Under the law: Employees who are victims of crime may take time off to protect their health, safety, or welfare—or that of their child. Employers with 25 or more employees must offer these same protections when a family member of an employee is the victim. When and How to Notify Employers must provide the written notice: At time of hire Annually Upon request If an employee discloses they or their family member is a cr...

California regulators recently adopted regulations regarding automated-decision systems (ADS) in the workplace, aiming to protect against employment discrimination given the dramatic rise in artificial intelligence use in employment. On March 21, the California Civil Council of the Civil Rights Department (CRD) voted to approve the rules, which now must be cleared by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) and published by the Secretary of State. If they pass these final hurdles, they will likely become effective on July 1. Read on for key takeaways from the updated regulations and three steps you should take to stay compliant. Brief Background Employers are increasingly using AI tools during the employee lifecycle. They bring obvious advantages, such as saving time, processing efficiencies, and providing insightful data on people analytics . On the flipside, they can lead to potential discriminatory practices without proper oversight and governance. California leads the way in proposed...

  Snapchat’s parent company has agreed to pay $15 million and take extensive measures to ensure fair employment practices as part of settlement to resolve claims of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation against women at the company. The deal between Snap Inc. and the California Civil Rights Department is noteworthy for all employers because it requires the Santa Monica-based company to implement measures that go beyond what’s required under the state’s equal pay laws – potentially giving a glimpse into future trends or legislation. We’ll give you everything you need to know and a look at what’s next. What Happened? The California Civil Rights Department (CRD)  announced  on June 19 that it reached a settlement with Snap Inc., the creator of the Snapchat social media platform, after a years-long investigation into allegations of employment discrimination, equal pay violations, and sexual harassment impacting women at Snap . This announcement came just days after the...