Existing law establishes the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, headed by the Labor Commissioner, within the Department of Industrial Relations, for the purpose of enforcing labor laws. Existing law prescribes the duties and rights of employers and employees relating to specified labor laws, including, among other things, paid sick days, workers' compensation, and notice requirements related to inspections conducted by an immigration agency.
This bill would establish the Workplace Know Your Rights Act. The bill would require an employer, within 30 days after the Labor Commissioner posts a template notice on its internet website, and annually thereafter, to provide a stand-alone written notice to each current employee of specified workers' rights, including, among other things, the categories described above, as well as constitutional rights of an employee when interacting with law enforcement at the workplace, as specified. The bill would also require the employer to provide the written notice to each new employee upon hire and to provide the written notice annually to an employee's authorized representative, if any.
This bill would require the Labor Commissioner to develop a template notice and would authorize an employer to use the template notice to comply with the notice requirement described above. The bill would also require the Labor Commissioner, on or before July 1, 2026, to develop a video for employees advising them of their rights under the areas described above and to develop a video for employers advising them of their requirements under those areas.
This bill would require an employer, if an employee has designated an emergency contact for this purpose, to notify the designated emergency contact if the employee is arrested or detained on their worksite. If the arrest or detention occurs during work hours, or during the performance of the employee's job duties, but not on the worksite, the bill would require the employer to notify the employee's designated emergency contact only if the employer has actual knowledge of the arrest or detention of the employee.
This bill would prohibit an employer from discharging, threatening to discharge, demoting, suspending, or in any manner discriminating or retaliating against an employee for exercising or attempting to exercise their rights under the bill, as provided.
This bill would require the Labor Commissioner to enforce the bill, as specified, and would also alternatively authorize enforcement by a public prosecutor. The bill would provide that an employer who violates the bill may be subject to a civil penalty of up to $500 per employee for each violation.

Statutes affected:
SB 294: 245 LAB
02/06/25 - Introduced: 245 LAB
03/17/25 - Amended Senate: 245 LAB