WHITE PAPER
2019 California Employment Legislation Update
The new year brings significant changes to California’s employment laws, many of which
increase protection for victims of harassment while restricting the use of nondisclosure
agreements. It remains to be seen whether new Governor Gavin Newsom will, like his pre-
decessor Jerry Brown, veto the most controversial measures passed by the Legislature.
Nevertheless, we expect 2019 to bring additional employment-related legislation that will
create new challenges for employers.
This White Paper examines 2019’s new employment-related laws, including Senate Bill 1300,
one of the most critical pieces of legislation to arise from the #MeToo movement. Among
the other bills we explore: Senate Bill 826, which requires publicly held, California-based
corporations to have a minimum of one woman on their Boards of Directors by the end of
2019, and Assembly Bill 2282, which clarifies a 2017 statute that prohibited employers from
inquiring about an applicant’s salary history.
Finally, we describe bills that were vetoed by former Governor Brown or that failed to pass
both Houses of the California Legislature, as well as other federal and state developments,
and offer recommendations for employers in light of the new legislation.
January 2019
