Category: Legislation

AB 1676 was introduced by Assembly Members Campos and Gonzalez on January 19, 2016. The bill amends the “California Fair Pay Act” (SB 358) which was enacted last year. The California Fair Pay Act strengthened an existing statute that prohibits paying women less than men for doing similar work.  AB 1676 adds race and ethnicity to the law; so an employer cannot pay employees of a particular race or ethnicity less than others for similar work. In addition, AB 1676 provides that, “Prior salary shall not, by itself, justify any disparity in compensation.” Comments: AB 1676 has passed both houses and is…

AB 2835 was introduced by Assemblyman Cooper (D-Elk Grove) on February 19, 2016. Since then it has been amended a few times but the substance of the bill remains the same. AB 2835 mandates that public employers provide an “orientation” to new employees during which time the union is entitled to make a 30 minute presentation. This bill is a direct result of the Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association (Friedrichs) decision in which the Supreme Court, in a tie vote, let stand a lower court’s ruling allowing agency fees in the public sector. Back when the outcome of Friedrichs was in doubt, unions began proposing that they be allowed to make presentations at mandatory employee orientations in the hope of increasing their membership if agency fees disappeared. Once Friedrichs was decided, employers were hopeful that the unions would drop this idea, but that turned out not to be the case.