Spring has arrived, the 2024 Legislative session is in full bloom, and two new laws have already taken effect. First, AB 1228 (enacted in 2023) took effect on April 1, 2024, creating a $20.00 statewide minimum wage for certain fast food restaurant restaurants covered by that law (i.e., those with 60 locations nationwide, etc.). (See our 2023 Legislative Summary for a more detailed overview of that law.) Second, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB 610, which took effect immediately, creating multiple new exemptions from the new fast food minimum wage.

The California Legislature is also still considering a record number of pending bills, including approximately 60 employment-related bills, and key committee votes have recently occurred or will soon occur. As tends to happen, some major bills have stalled as key votes approach (including AB 2741, which would have imposed new obligations on client employers and labor contractors), while other major bills suddenly emerge as amendments occur, including the just-introduced “right to disconnect” bill (AB 2751), which would allow employees to ignore most employer communications outside of work hours. Suffice to say, employers should anticipate a flurry of activity as the deadlines for bills to pass the key policy committee votes (April 26, 2024) and to pass the first legislative chamber (May 24, 2024) approach.

For tracking purposes, we have identified the “Top Ten” bills that – if passed – would have the most significant impact on California employers. These bills that would: