Two very significant new laws were signed by Governor Brown last week. Here’s a quick summary.
Parental Leave for Employees of “Smaller” Employers
Last week, Governor Brown signed SB 63, the New Parent Leave Act.
The new law requires employers that have between 20 to 49 employees within 75 miles to hold eligible workers’ jobs when they take up to 12 weeks of parental leave.
The new law amends the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) to provide this protected time off. The new law will likely alleviate some of the confusion created by the (poorly) named Paid Family Leave program. That law provides wage replacement when an employee took family leave, but didn’t actually provide the protected time off. This created a lot of misunderstanding about who was entitled to take time off.
Ban the Box
AB 1008 was also signed by Governor Brown last week.
This law will make it an unlawful employment practice under for an employer with 5 or more employees to include on employment applications any question that seeks the disclosure of an applicant’s conviction history or to inquire into or consider the conviction history of an applicant until that applicant has received a conditional offer. The new law also prohibits employers from considering or distributing information about an applicant’s prior arrests, diversions, and convictions. If an employer intends to deny an applicant solely or in part because of conviction history, the employer must make an individualized assessment as to how the conviction has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, among other things. Notice to the applicant is required and the applicant must be given an opportunity to explain or dispute the accuracy of the information. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule – but don’t assume they will apply to your workplace!
California Employment Law Blog 