As the new year approaches, here are some California workplace laws scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2020:
SB 3: Minimum Wage
Signed into law back in 2016 and taking effect in 2019, the next scheduled step of SB 3 will give minimum wage workers another bump as the California minimum wage goes up by one dollar to $12 an hour for workers at companies with 25 or fewer employees and $13 an hour for workers at larger companies of 26 or more. The minimum wage will peak at $15 an hour in 2023.
AB 5: Independent Workers
With the gig economy on the rise, this new law applies to many contract and independent contractors working in California.
In an effort to protect people shoved into contractor status, this bill is expected to affect at least one million gig economy workers who will be reclassified as employees if a company exerts control over how they perform their tasks or if their work is part of a company’s regular business. Food delivery and ride-sharing drivers, janitors, nail salon workers, construction workers, franchise owners, and more could now be reclassified as employees, offering them more rights on the job, access to more benefits, and a stable workplace.