California has enacted legislation (Assembly Bill 1731) that makes a number of changes to the existing work-sharing program operated by the Employment Development Department (EDD) to help increase use of the program by employers. The changes are effective immediately, but will be repealed at the end of 2023, unless extended.

SB1159 was signed into law on September 17, 2020 and goes into effect immediately. It applies to CA employers with employee dates of injury on or after July 6, 2020. This law places a new burden on employers with operations in CA to report any employee who tests positive for COVID-19 to their workers' compensation claims administrator. California Employers have until October 16th, 2020 to fulfill the retroactive reporting requirement. 

California has enacted legislation (Senate Bill 1383) that expands the California Family Rights Act to cover more workers and make other changes to the law. Senate Bill 1383 takes effect January 1, 2021.

California has enacted legislation (Assembly Bill 1867) that extends COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave to more employees in the state. Assembly Bill 1867 takes effect no later than 10 days after September 9, 2020. The law expires on December 31, 2020, or upon the expiration of any extension of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116-127), whichever is later.

California has enacted legislation (Assembly Bill 2257) that clarifies and broadens the exceptions to the ABC test for determining whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee. Assembly Bill 2257 takes effect immediately.

California has published an emergency rule that makes changes to regulations governing the state-run retirement plan known as CalSavers.

San Francisco has approved an emergency ordinance that temporarily creates reemployment and other rights for certain employees laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ordinance went into effect on July 3, 2020 and expires September 1, 2020.

The California Supreme Court has established a test for determining whether interstate workers must be provided with a California-compliant wage statement and how the state's rules governing the timeframe for paying wages apply to interstate workers.

The city of Santa Rosa California has approved an ordinance that temporarily expands emergency paid sick leave for employees within city limits. The ordinance is effective immediately and expires on December 31, 2020.

The city of Sacramento California has adopted an ordinance that provides certain protections to workers regarding COVID-19. The ordinance took effect on July 15, 2020 and expires on December 31, 2020.