It is already December, and 2025 is just around the corner! The Tressler Labor and Employment Group would like to remind all employers of the changes in law coming into effect on January 1, 2025. This post will be the last of three reminder blog posts for California employers.
Captive Audience Meetings
Effective January 1, 2025, SB 399 creates protections for employees who decline to attend employer-sponsored meetings about political or religious matters, including information sessions regarding labor organizations. Employers can no longer discipline, discharge, discriminate or retaliate against or pursue any other adverse action because the employee declines to attend or participate in an employer-sponsored meeting communicating an employer’s opinion about religious or political matters. Violations of SB 399 will result in a $500 civil penalty for each instance against every employee.
California employers are encouraged to train their supervisors and managers to know that employees cannot be forced to attend these types of meetings. If employees attend these types of meetings, employers are encouraged to affirmatively document that said employees attended voluntarily.
Driver’s License Requirements on Job Applications
Effective January 1, 2025, SB 1100 will provide more protections to job seekers from discrimination related to holding a driver’s license. Per SB 1100, California employers will no longer be allowed to indicate that a driver’s license is required unless (1) the position reasonably expects driving to be one of the job functions for the position; and (2) completing the job function via an alternate form of transportation — such as bicycling, walking or using a ride-share service — would not be comparable in travel time or cost.
California employers are encouraged to update any internal job descriptions, external postings, solicitations or advertisements to maintain compliance with SB 1100.
California employers are encouraged to consult with a member of Tressler’s Employment Law Practice Group to ensure that their policies are compliant with California laws. Tressler’s Employment Law Practice Group has significant experience in ensuring that companies comply with state and federal labor regulations, including California’s laws.
If you have any questions, please contact Jihoon Kim at jkim@tresslerllp.com.
Jihoon Kim is an associate in Tressler’s Labor & Employment Practice Group in the Orange County office. He advises employers in management-side labor and employment litigation involving discrimination, harassment and wage and hour claims. Having also established and managed corporate human resource departments, Jihoon has drafted and reviewed personnel policies, employee handbooks and other employment-related materials and has conducted investigations and counseled employers in connection with a broad array of employee relations issues, including wage and hour, disability leave and harassment.