There are quite a few proposed bills that have been under consideration by legislative committees, and will continue to be considered when the Legislature is in session again. We summarize a few of those bills here.
AB8 – This bill would require employers to provide healthcare to employees, and their dependents, in an amount equal to 7.5 percent of the employer’s Social Security wages. The bill provides an option for employers, though: An employer may elect to have healthcare coverage for its employees provided through a California program, with a minimum payment and the use of a Section 125 plan. The bill has passed the Assembly, and is going before the Senate.
AB435 – This bill would require employers to retain payroll/wage records for at least five years. It would also increase the statute of limitations to four years for a lawsuit based on unequal wages. In addition, it would expand to five years the statute of limitations for any action that involved an employer’s willful misconduct. The bill has passed to the Assembly and is now before the Senate.
AB510 – This Assembly bill proposes to authorize individual-based alternative work weeks. The bill did not pass the Committee on Labor and Employment, although reconsideration has been granted.
AB1707 – This bill would require employers to maintain personnel records for three years after the termination of an employee. It would also require employers to provide for the inspection and copying of personnel records within 21 days, to current and former employees, or their representatives. For violation of that requirement, employees would be subject to a $750 penalty and a civil action. The bill has passed the Assembly and is now before the Senate.
SB549 – This “Bereavement Leave” bill proposes to prevent an employer from discharging or in any way discriminating against an employee who takes, requests, or even asks about taking a bereavement leave upon the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild or domestic partner. The bill has passed the Senate and is now pending before the Assembly.
