(New Year, New Laws)…It happens every year.

This year is no exception. One of the laws gives entry level employees a raise. The minimum wage has increased to $12.00 per hour in California. A few years ago a law was passed to increase the minimum wage in increments until it reaches $15 per hour. There are several Sexual misconduct laws. SB 820 forbids companies from forcing employees who settle sexual harassment complaints to sign non-disclosure agreements that prevent them from speaking out about what happened. SB 1300 bans the business practice of requiring workers to sign releases of liability as a condition of continued employment or in exchange for a bonus. SB 1343 requires almost every California Employee to receive biannual sexual harassment training. AB 1619 provides victims up to a decade to seek civil damages from a sexual assault, while AB 3118 will require the state to complete an audit of untested rape kits, which likely number in the tens of thousands, by July