HR and future of work · Industry brief

Governor Newsom signed multiple California workplace bills into law taking effect January 1, 2027. Key regulations include: SB 947 requiring human review of automated disciplinary decisions; SB 951 mandating AI disclosure in WARN notices for technology-driven layoffs; AB 1331 prohibiting bathroom surveillance; AB 1883 restricting AI monitoring of emotional states and neural data; SB 1237 increasing penalties for pay data reporting failures from $200 to $1,000 per employee; AB 1697 delaying the stay-or-pay ban until January 1, 2027; AB 2646 raising agricultural minimum wage to $19.75 per hour; SB 1149 expanding bereavement leave to five days for designated persons; AB 1803 requiring anti-hate speech training by January 1, 2028; and AB 2321 revamping Cal/OSHA investigations with mandatory referrals to prosecutors. Fisher Phillips is hosting seminars in November and December 2026 covering these legislative changes, case law developments, benefits updates, and immigration enforcement implications to help employers maintain compliance.

New Section 503 and VEVRAA rules maintain core federal contractor compliance responsibilities for disability inclusion, veteran employment, nondiscrimination, and reasonable accommodation. IBM agreed to pay $17,077,043 to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to anti-discrimination law violations in employment practices and DEI programs, marking the first major enforcement action of this kind. The EEOC has signaled renewed focus on ensuring DEI initiatives align with Title VII and other non-discrimination mandates, with guidance to Fortune 500 companies on what to review, keep, and fix in their programs.