The restaurant industry predicted disaster after California instituted a $20 minimum wage for fast-food workers, but data shows that hasn't happened.

State officials are failing to protect the health and safety of thousands of young field laborers, an investigation has found.

The United Farm Workers, along with more than a dozen farmworkers, filed a federal lawsuit in California challenging a new Labor Department rule they argue will "undercut and adversely affect" wages paid to U.S. workers.

(The Center Square) - A new law introduced by a California congressman would raise the minimum legal age of child workers in agriculture from 12 to 17.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the main federal labor law enforcement agency, currently lacks a quorum to act. Ordinarily, that type of federal gridlock would frustrate a union organizer since the NLRB is the agency that prosecutes unfair labor practice complaints. This time, however, it may be great news for those organizers because they’re […]

A recently published California Court of Appeal, Second District, decision affirmed that the use of a “flag bonus pay” compensation structure that provides an hourly productivity incentive, which is often used in the automotive service industry, does not necessarily violate California’s “no borrowing” rule. The decision further provided reminders regarding plaintiffs’ requirements for properly prosecuting claims under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).

As the calendar turns to 2026, employers across the country face a fresh wave of labor and employment law changes that will reshape workplace compliance, employee rights, and business operations. From expanded protections for gig workers and whistleblowers to new rules governing employment contracts, data privacy, and workplace transparency, this year’s legislative updates reflect a growing emphasis on fairness, accountability, and adaptability in the modern workforce. 

Senate Introduces Sweeping Labor Law Reform

California’s wage-and-hour framework is deliberately interconnected. A change in the statewide minimum wage—the foundation on which many other wage rules rest—triggers a cascade of downstream adjustments across classifications, premiums, postings, notices, and payroll operations. With the statewide minimum wage increasing to $16.90 per hour in 2026, California employers may want to align their practices to the new floor to minimize risk and ensure compliance. Quick Hits

California’s wage-and-hour framework is deliberately interconnected. A change in the statewide minimum wage—the foundation on which many other wage rules rest—triggers a cascade of downstream adjustments across classifications, premiums, postings, notices, and payroll operations. With the statewide minimum wage increasing to $16.90 per hour in 2026, California employers may want to align their practices to the new floor to minimize risk and ensure compliance. Quick Hits

8th Circuit Backs Home Depot in “BLM Apron” Case

Recent Court Decisions Limit NLRB’s Authority to Award Expanded Remedies

Each year, California’s minimum wage rises, but along with hourly workers’ wages increasing, so too does the salary threshold for employees to be exempt from overtime. For an employee to be exempt from overtime under California law, their job must fall into a specific exempt category and meet a designated wage rate.

This post was updated Nov. 11 at 11:09 p.m. The California Supreme Court stood by a lower court’s ruling that the UC cannot bar undocumented students from holding on-campus jobs Oct.

In Alvarado v. Wal-Mart Associates, Inc., issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on September 30, 2025, the court...

California's newly signed law regulates recruiters of foreign workers to cut down on human trafficking, a form of modern slavery.

As we’ve previously written, enforcing employment arbitration agreements in California can be a complicated endeavor.

Opinion: The California Supreme Court's ruling in Stone v. Alameda Health System has already been used by courts to reject Labor Code lawsuits brought against public agencies, providing welcome relief.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says a normal work shift is at most 8 consecutive hours with each shift split by at least 8 hours of rest.

California employers must ensure that compensation rates for computer professionals meet new compensation thresholds as of January 1, 2026.

On October 13, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed S.B. 7, which would have required human oversight in certain types of employment...

In a case involving an issue of first impression, the California Court of Appeal has held that violations of Labor Code section 432.2, which bans...

TakeawaysMajor employer obligations affected by new laws include pay reporting, worker rights and leave entitlements.Employers will have to review and update workplace policies and procedures to be compliant with the latest legislative changes.To ensure updates are properly implemented, employers should train management and HR teams on the new laws.Related links

On September 30, 2025, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 288, which amends the state’s labor law and significantly

Unsanctioned AI is a double-edged sword