California “Know Your Rights” Notice: Important Dates for Employers

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Employers in California will soon be expected to adhere to new employee protections and emergency contact requirements. Although the law took effect on January 1, 2026, specific compliance dates are expected to be met in February and March.

Notice of Workplace Rights, February 1, 2026

By February 1, 2026, employers need to provide employees the required workplace rights notice. This notice will need to be shared with employees annually and must be updated to reflect any new legal developments.

The California Labor Commission provides notice templates in both English and Spanish and additional languages are expected to be made available, soon. If a template is unavailable in an employee’s preferred language, employers can provide a notice in English.

Employers can distribute the notice through personal delivery, email, text message, or any method normally used to communicate employment information.

Employees hired after February 1, 2026, should receive the notice when hired.

Employers need to keep records of having provided the notice for three years. These records must also include the date each notice was provided.

Emergency Contact, March 30, 2026

By March 30, 2026, employers must give employees the opportunity to name an emergency contact and designate if that person should be notified if the employee is arrested or detained while at work.

If any employee indicates they want their employer to reach out to their emergency contact in the case of an arrest or detention, the employer will be obligated to notify the emergency contact. Employees can update their emergency contact information, and their choice to notify at any time.

California employers who may need to add new requirements to their handbook can use Rancho Mesa’s RM365 HRAdvantage™ portal to make the necessary updates. To learn more about additional law updates at the federal and state level, visit the Law Alerts page in the HR portal.

California Employment Law Updates for 2026

Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As California’s 2025 legislative session comes to a close, changes are coming to the state’s employment law landscape.

Governor Gavin Newsom has made his final decisions on a number of bills which introduce changes to workers’ rights, paid family leave, and recovery of lost wages, among others.

Some of the changes employers should be aware of for 2026 include:

Workplace Rights (SB 294)

Beginning February 1, 2026, Senate Bill 294 requires employers to provide an annual written notice informing employees of their rights, and requires an employer to notify the employee’s emergency contact if they are arrested or detained while at work.

Paid Family Leave (SB 590)

Beginning July 1, 2028, employees will be eligible to receive paid family leave benefits to care for a seriously ill “designated person” which can refer to any blood relative or someone who is deemed the equivalent of family although not related by blood.

Wages and Equal Pay Act (SB 642)

Senate Bill 642 updates the definition of “pay scale” in job postings, redefining it to mean “a good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage range that the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire.”

This law also extends the statute of limitations for pay discrimination claims to three years and allows potential recovery of lost wages for up to six years.

Personnel Records (SB 513)

Senate Bill 513 expands the definition of personnel records to include training details. This includes certifications obtained from training, the name of the training provider, and the skills covered in the training.

Before these new laws take effect, California employers should begin reviewing workplace policies and procedures to stay compliant. Employers can take advantage of Rancho Mesa’s RM365 HRAdvantage™ to build and update a compliant employee handbook, create policies using sample documents, and receive alerts as laws change.

The laws in this article are only some of the changes employers will need to be aware of in 2026. For a comprehensive discussion of the most important changes to California’s employment laws, register for Rancho Mesa’s 2026 Employment Law Update workshop, happening on Friday, November 21st, 2025 from 10:30 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. at the Mission Valley Library.