It’s the thick of the holiday season which means many employers are spending their time making sure their team is ready for the new year, which should include a thorough examination of any law and regulation updates starting Jan. 1^st. Over the next few weeks we’ll be listing a few notable changes, but do note that there may be additional revisions in your niche industry to keep an eye out for.

Ringing in 2022 Legislation

1. Minimum wage increases. Beginning Jan.1 the minimum wage hourly rate will increase to $14/hour for employers with 1-25 employees and $15/hour for employers with 26 or more employees.
2. Workplace Safety, AB 606. This measure expands OSHA’s enforcement of workplace safety issues, and introduces two new categories under which companies can be penalized: ‘egregious’ and ‘company-wide.’
3. CFRA update, AB 1033. Correcting what was believed to be an oversight, the definition of family member in this leave policy will be expanded to ‘parent-in-law.’
4. Garment industry worker protections, SB 62. This measure prohibits ‘piece-rate compensation’ (compensating an employee on the number of product pieces they produce) as well as expands liability for wage violations.
5. Wage theft, AB 1003. Increases the penalty from misdemeanor to felony for wrongfully withholding wages of an employee.

It was a busy legislative year for California in 2021 (although isn’t it always?) as the state continues its’ trend of focusing on the expansion of worker protections. And while there was some continued discussion related to Covid-19 (which we’ll cover in our next blog), the pandemic shared the floor with a diverse group of other important concerns.

The trends in legislature are as diverse as the people who work hard every day to keep the economy evolving, and employers are increasingly called upon to ensure that their teams are fairly treated. If you’re looking for an HR department that can meet the demands of the modern workplace, EOS is your answer! We’re a team of HR professionals helping small businesses succeed in this exciting, yet challenging economic landscape.  Schedule a free consultation today to learn more.