As 2025 comes to a close, we provide this alert highlighting key California employment and labor legislation from the 2025 legislative session. These new laws will take effect in 2026 and beyond, expanding employer obligations in areas such as workplace safety, pay data reporting, leave rights, wage enforcement, bias mitigation, and the use of artificial intelligence in employment decisions. We also note select proposals that were vetoed or remain inactive that nonetheless may provide insight into enforcement priorities and potential future regulation. For each update, we summarize the core requirements and note practical considerations for employers as they assess compliance obligations, implementation timelines, and emerging risk areas.
