Blog & News: Legal

On September 18, 2019, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law a piece of legislation—AB5—that could potentially reclassify millions of independent contractors as employees and dramatically reshape the future of independent workforces in California and beyond.

Question: 

Do we have to accommodate a service animal if we have employees that are allergic?

Answer: 

The answer is, “Yes”. 

The use of CBD oils has been steadily increasing among many working adults. From anxiety and pain management to weight loss, CBD oils are considered to have many healthful benefits. However, this can pose a bit of a challenge for employers who are unsure how to enforce anti-drug use policies in the workplace.

California is recognized as the first state to pass a law that prohibits employers and schools from discriminating against individuals based on their choice of hairstyles. Called The CROWN Act, which stands for “Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair,” was voted into law by a majority vote.

Relationships can and do happen in the workplace. It’s not surprising, given working adults spend much of their lives at work. A study conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management revealed that one in three workers have been involved in a relationship with a co-worker before.

Coming to a state near you: Cannabis legalization. The cultivation, possession, and recreational use of cannabis in person’s age 21 and above has already become legal in 10 U.S. states and Washington D.C. so far, with 33 additional states and the U.S. territories of Guam and Puerto Rico also allowing cannabis and CBD oil products for medicinal purposes.

According to SB-1343, by January 1, 2020, 92% of the state’s workforce [roughly 15.5 million workers] will need to have received at least one hour of sexual harassment training for non-management employees; and two hours of training for supervisors. Following the 2020 deadline, these educational thresholds will need to be met again every two years. Here are 7 things HR and compliance professionals need to know about this mandate.

What does SB-1343 change?

California's Property Service Workers Protection Act was enacted in July 2018. The law requires all janitorial employers to register with the Labor Commissioner's Office (starting July 1, 2018) and provide employees with sexual harassment prevention training every two years (starting January 1, 2019).

California employers will soon be required to update their employee training procedures once again with the newly-passed Senate Bill 1343 which requires both supervisory employees as well as non-supervisory employees to undergo comprehensive sexual harassment training every two years. The new mandate goes into effect January 1, 2020.