HR and future of work · Industry brief

California's 2027 employment laws introduce significant changes affecting AI use in workplace decisions, discrimination protections, hiring practices, and compensation. SB 947 prohibits employers from solely relying on automated decision systems for discipline or termination without independent human corroboration and requires post-use notice to affected employees. SB 951 expands CalWARN notification requirements when AI or automation causes mass layoffs. AB 1331 and AB 1883 restrict workplace surveillance tools using AI to collect neural data or recognize emotional states. AB 2495 expands immigration-related retaliation protections to cover perceived immigration status. Pay data reporting requirements expand from 10 to 23 job categories under SB 464, with penalties for non-compliance increasing from $200 to $1,000 per employee under SB 1237. FEHA's definition of sex now explicitly includes assigned sex or gender category, conformity to stereotypes, access to gender-affirming care, and variations in sex characteristics under AB 2563. AB 1803 adds anti-hate speech training requirements (effective January 2028). AB 2155 aligns California arbitration law with federal FAA exemptions. AB 1697 delays the effective date of stay-or-pay agreement restrictions to January 2027. SB 1149 expands bereavement leave to include "designated persons" beyond traditional family members. Agricultural minimum wage rises to $19.75 per hour under AB 2646, while the general state minimum wage increases to $17.40 per hour, raising exempt employee salary thresholds to $72,384 annually. Source: CalChamber HR Watchdog.

New sexual harassment prevention laws took effect on 30 October 2026, strengthening UK employers' duties from taking "reasonable steps" to "all reasonable steps" to prevent sexual harassment under the Employment Rights Act 2025. WorkNest research found only 4% of employers had fully embedded preventative measures before the deadline, with 26% still taking reactive approaches or lacking formal strategies. The law now expands employer responsibility to include harassment by third parties such as customers and clients. Key compliance gaps identified include manager confidence in addressing inappropriate behaviour early (54% cited lack of confidence as a barrier) and inadequate risk assessments tailored to organisational contexts. HR leaders must now demonstrate ongoing monitoring of prevention effectiveness through employee feedback, reporting patterns, and regular policy review rather than treating compliance as a one-time deadline exercise.

Connecticut has implemented multiple significant employment law changes effective October 1, 2026, impacting all employers. Wage transparency requirements now mandate that internal and public job postings include position wage ranges and benefits descriptions, with expanded anti-retaliation protections and extended statute of limitations from one to two years. Employment promissory notes requiring employee repayment upon departure have been banned for all employers, expanding prior restrictions. Mandatory lactation accommodations now require reasonable break times and private facilities, moving beyond previous discretionary policies. Employers must provide written ADA accommodation notices to new hires, existing employees within 120 days, and employees reporting disabilities within 10 days. Large employers (100+ employees) must publish pay code guides in multiple languages. Construction employers face new daily record-keeping requirements for public works projects with potential misdemeanor penalties for non-compliance. Cannabis employers must ensure workers' minimum wages are not supplemented by gratuities. Employers must disclose to the Department of Labor whether WARN Act layoffs involve artificial intelligence or technological changes. Electronic monitoring notices must now specify locations where monitoring occurs and be posted at those specific locations, with new hires receiving plain language written statements before employment begins. Additionally, employer-required security screening time is now compensable, and minimum wage will increase to $17.48 per hour effective January 1, 2027.

Colorado employers must comply with House Bill 26-1283, effective June 3, 2026, which restricts employer possession and retention of government-issued identification documents. The law prohibits demanding or retaining ID cards except as needed for Form I-9 employment eligibility verification, with original documents limited to 10-hour possession periods; copies may be retained in employment records. Employers must now provide written notice—in English and the employee's primary language if known—informing individuals of these restrictions, obtain written acknowledgment, and retain documentation of both. Employers should immediately review onboarding and reverification procedures, ensure prompt return of original IDs, provide translated notices where applicable, and train HR personnel on the new requirements alongside existing federal I-9 compliance procedures.