Legal Developments
Recent California employment-law developments in Labor Relations.
Assembly Bill 889 amends the Labor Code’s prevailing-wage rules, removing a director-issued annualization exception, revoking prior exemptions, and shifting the burden to employers to prove their benefit credits were calculated correctly.
Assembly Bill 288 lets certain private-sector workers petition California’s Public Employment Relations Board to enforce organizing and bargaining rights when the National Labor Relations Board cedes or loses jurisdiction, with phased-in case deadlines beginning in 2026.
Senate Bill 597 replaces the direct-contractor liability rule for private construction contracts entered on or after January 1, 2026, adding Labor Code section 218.9 and creating a joint-check option for benefit contributions.
Senate Bill 294 requires California employers to give employees an annual written notice of workplace and constitutional rights, offer an emergency-contact option, and notify that contact if an employee is arrested or detained at work.