Labor Law Updates for December 2024

Please note: This is just a summary to provide general information on HR compliance changes. As it’s not exhaustive, we encourage you to speak with an Inspiring HR Consultant to ensure full compliance with each state’s specific requirements. Find past updates and insights on our website.

Key Topics This Month:

1. California: Victims of violence leave, captive audience meetings, driver’s license requirements and workplace restraining orders.
2. Washington: Non-competes, captive audience meetings, and paid sick leave.

California: Labor Law Updates for 2025 Captive Audience Meetings Ban and New Protected Classes

Leave for Victims of Violence – Effective January 1, 2025

Rights have been expanded for employees who are victims of a qualifying act of violence, specifically defined under the law. All employers should continue to allow reasonable time off for related legal proceedings or to obtain relief, such as a restraining order or other measures to ensure the safety of themselves and/or children.

Employers of 25 or more employees will also be required to reasonably accommodate leave or other requests of employees for their own, or a family member’s, legal proceedings, treatment for injuries, relocation needs, counseling sessions, and/or need to provide or seek child or dependent adult care or other related services unless it causes undue hardship.

Leave under this law will be unpaid and run concurrently with CFRA/FMLA.  Employees must be allowed to use their available sick leave, vacation time or PTO.

Restrictions for Captive Audience Meetings – Effective January 1, 2025

Employers will not be permitted to demote, discharge or otherwise retaliate against employees who decline to attend company-sponsored events pertaining to religious or political matters, or matters related to union organization.

Workplace Temporary Restraining Order Expansion – Effective January 1, 2025

Employees may not request a workplace Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in situations of harassment that is directed to a specific person, is “knowing and willful”, would cause a “reasonable person” to suffer substantial emotional distress, and has caused the targeted employee substantial emotional distress.

WASHINGTON: Non-Competes, Captive Audience and Paid Sick Leave

Noncompete Agreement Earnings Threshold – Effective January 1, 2025

Under Washington’s non-competition law, only employees or independent contractors who earn more than the threshold established by law can be held to non-competition agreements. For 2025, an employee’s annual earnings must exceed $123,394.17 and an independent contractor’s earnings must exceed $308,485.43 for a non-compete agreement to be enforceable.

Ban on “Captive Audience” Meetings – Effective January 1, 2025

Washington employers are now prohibited from disciplining or otherwise retaliating against employees for refusing to attend mandatory employer sponsored meetings related to religious and/or political matters. Political matters are defined as matters relating to elections for political office, political parties, proposals to change legislation, proposals to change regulations, and the decision to join or support any political party or political, civic, community, fraternal, or labor association or organization.

Employers are also required to post a notice; however one has not yet been provided by the state.

For more information about this new law, a good summary is available here.

Paid Sick Leave Changes – Effective 1/1/2025

These changes broaden the definition of “family member” to include roommates and close relationships. It will also allow employees to use paid sick leave if a child’s school or daycare is closed due to emergency declarations made by local, state or federal government.

Interested in other current employment trends? Click the link to view the recent blog: Embracing Work-Life Balance: Giving the Gift of Time or check back for more on human resources, payroll, insurance, and benefits.

This article does not constitute legal advice, and there are subtle variations in employment law as it pertains to these topics, depending on where your business operates. It is strongly suggested that you seek consultation or legal counsel before making decisions about policies.