The California Department of Industrial Relations has announced that the minimum wage for covered health care workers will go into effect Oct. 16, 2024. Originally, the minimum wage was supposed to take effect June 1, 2024, but it was delayed twice.

California has enacted legislation that prohibits employers from taking adverse action against employees because they refuse to attend an employer-sponsored mandatory meeting that communicates the employer’s opinion about political or religious matters. The changes were made by enactment of Senate Bill 399 and take effect Jan. 1, 2025.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) has issued regulations that require employers to take certain steps to protect workers from heat illness if they have indoor workplaces where the temperature reaches 82° F. The regulations are effective immediately.

On May 31, 2024, the Governor of California signed into law (Senate Bill 828) which delays the implementation of California's health care worker minimum wage law by one month from June 1, 2024 to July 1, 2024. The original law required covered health care employees to be paid a minimum of between $18 and $23 per hour depending on the type of facility between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025.