In the second installment of my Anticipated CA Labor Laws for 2024 series, we will unpack two historic laws that Governor Gavin Newsom ratified during what has been referred to by the press as Hot Labor Summer. Two new labor laws, Assembly Bill (AB) 1228 and Senate Bill (SB) 525, are set to take effect in 2024.
Whether you’re an employee or employer, it is important to stay current with legislative changes, which is precisely what I aim to help you do. Learn more about the forecasted impacts of AB 1228 and SB 525, and be sure to check in for our next installment of the series, Part 3: SB 700 & 553: Cannabis Use & Workplace Violence Protections.
If you haven’t read my first installment in this series, SB 616 & SB 848 Increase Paid Sick Leave and Reproductive Loss Leave, take a look to gain a better understanding of the legislation that will take effect in the new year.
AB 1228: Minimum Wage Increase for Fast Food Workers
AB 1228 will become effective April 1, 2024, and is set to increase the minimum wage for employees of fast-food chain restaurants to $20 per hour, $4 more than the standard $16 minimum wage for most other California hourly employees. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill on September 28 at a Los Angeles event.
“California is home to more than 500,000 fast-food workers who – for decades – have been fighting for higher wages and better working conditions. Today, we take one step closer to fairer wages, safer and healthier working conditions, and better training by giving hardworking fast-food workers a stronger voice and seat at the table.”
– Gavin Newsom, California Governor
This bill defines a “fast food chain restaurant” as a limited-service restaurant in California that is part of a national fast-food chain (i.e. has more than 60 locations nationwide that share a common brand or are characterized by standardized decor, marketing, packaging, products, and services) serving food and beverages for immediate consumption with minimal or no table service.
AB 1228 will also create a Fast Food Council within the Department of Industrial Relations to oversee future wage increases and recommend workplace standards to state agencies. The fast-food employee minimum wage will increase annually up through 2029.
SB 525: Minimum Wage Increase for Healthcare Workers
Effective June 1, 2024, SB 525 will increase the minimum wage for the majority of California healthcare employees to $25 per hour. Governor Newsom ratified the bill on October 13th. This wage increase depends on the nature of the employer and will rise in accordance with five separate minimum wage schedules.
Essentially, the minimum wage for eligible healthcare workers will rise depending on how the facility they work at is classified, which depends on the facility’s size, type, locations, and governmental payor mix percentage.
SB 525 defines “covered health facility” to apply to almost every type of health care facility except those owned, controlled, or operated by the California Department of State Hospitals, tribal clinics exempt from licensure, and outpatient settings operated by federally recognized Native American tribes.
By establishing minimum standards for hourly and salaried employees, this law provides employees with the right to sue to enforce these standards should an employer fail to uphold them.
This law’s coverage also applies to a wide range of “covered health care employees,” contracted and subcontracted, including nurses, physicians, janitors, and clerical workers when the facility controls their wages, hours, or working conditions.
Employers can apply for a one-year extension or an alternative phase-in schedule by March 1, 2024, pursuant to a waiver program developed by the Department of Industrial Relations.
More information, including a list of healthcare facilities and hospitals to which this law applies to, should be available by January 1, 2024, on the Department of Health Care Access and Information’s website.
Should employees or employers have questions regarding these new laws, or want more information as to how the laws may apply to them, I recommend they consult with experienced employment law counsel.
Stay Tuned for Part 3: New California Labor Laws in 2024 Regarding Cannabis Use & Workplace Violence Protections
In the third installment of my Anticipated CA Labor Laws for 2024 series, we will be exploring new legislation regarding cannabis use and workplace violence prevention.
SB 700 bans discriminating against applicants based on past cannabis use revealed in criminal records, and SB 553 requires employers to implement workforce violence prevention plans that include cover incident logs, hazard training, and periodic reviews.
Mediation & Conflict Resolution
Whether you are an employee or employer, and/or legal counsel representing employees or employers, if you need help mediating or resolving conflicts related to the new minimum wage laws or other employment law matters, working with a trusted mediator and objective third party like myself can benefit everyone involved. Mediation and alternative dispute resolution is nearly always the best choice to avoid the draining, expensive, and lengthy litigation process and receive the best guarantee of closure.
Experienced Employment & Title IX Mediator & ADR Professional
Twice-named a U.S. News Best Lawyer in America for employment and labor law, I am an employment, labor law & Title IX mediator and alternative dispute resolution professional.
Known as the “Workplace Guru,” I am an influencer and leading authority on employment, workplace/HR, Title IX, hazing, and bullying issues. Furthermore, I’ve been named a “Top 50 Woman Attorney” in California by Super Lawyers, a “Top California Employment Lawyer” by the Daily Journal, and one of Los Angeles’ “Most Influential Minority and Women Attorneys” by the Los Angeles Business Journal.
I am a regular legal and media commentator and analyst and have appeared on such media outlets as Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, Law and Crime with Brian Ross, Court TV, CNN, NewsNation, ABC News, CBS News, Fox 11 News, KTLA-5, the Black News Channel, Fox Soul – The Black Report, NPR, KPCC, Airtalk-89.3, KJLH Front Page with Dominique DiPrima, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the LA Times, Forbes.com, Yahoo! Entertainment, People Magazine, Essence Magazine, the Los Angeles Sentinel, LA Focus, Daily Journal, Our Weekly and the Wave Newspapers.
I am a member of the panel of distinguished mediators and arbitrators with Signature Resolution, a California dispute resolution company. I also own her dispute resolution law firm, the Reddock Law Group of Los Angeles, specializing in the mediation and resolution of employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other workplace claims, along with Title IX, sexual harassment, assault, and misconduct conduct cases, as well as hazing and bullying cases in K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, fraternities, and sororities; fire, police and other public safety agencies and departments.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram @iamangelareddockwright, LinkedIn at Linkedin.com/in/angelareddock, and tune in to my weekly radio show, KBLA Talk 1580’s Legal Lens with Angela Reddock-Wright each Saturday and Sunday at 11 am PST, or catch past episodes on Anchor.fm/Spotify. You can learn more about the radio show here – https://angelareddock-wright.com/radio-show/.
For media inquiries, please reach out to josh@katiewagnersocialmedia.com.
For more information regarding resources mediation and dispute resolution resources for both employees and employers, connect with Angela on LinkedIn for new updates or contact her here. You may also follow her on Instagram.
This communication is not legal advice. It is educational only. For legal advice, consult with an experienced employment law attorney in your state or city.