Companies in California Hit With Bevy of Employment Laws in 2026

California employers have a long list of state law changes to navigate in 2026, ranging from a ban on training repayment contracts to steeper penalties for unpaid wage judgments.

The state is known for setting a high bar in employment-law mandates that other Democratic-majority statehouses often emulate. Its latest legislative session kept up the tradition, with many of the changes set to take effect Jan. 1.

Lawmakers took on pay transparency, paid leave, union rights, layoff warnings, recordkeeping, and employee rights notices. Some previously enacted laws will bring new obligations as of Jan. 1, such as an annual inflation-based adjustment ...