With every new year our beloved State of California rolls out some new regulations for us to abide by. Some good ones, some not so good and some confusing ones, especially for those freelancers amongst us.
With hundreds of new laws, and please google if you want to review them all, I’m just going to go through a few of the major ones that will have the most impact on us. I got most of my info from abc.com and the LATIMES.com I’m extremely happy about the dog parks and no testing on animals, the protection for transgender youth and the rent control.
IN THE WORKPLACE: The good news for those on minimum wage is another pay hike is on the way. The minimum wage in California goes up by one dollar to $12 an hour for workers at companies with 25 or fewer employees and to $13 an hour for workers at larger companies.
THE CONFUSING NEWS: AB 5:
Independent workers. While aimed directly at gig workers, this new law may also
apply to many more contract or independent worker in California. Under AB-5,
workers would be considered employees and not independent contractors if the
employer controls the work, directs them in the course of their work or if the
worker’s job is part of a company’s core business. So if you are a freelancer,
it might be time to set up your own company. If you drive for Uber or Lyft take
note and pay attention, these companies are currently suing to stop the
bill.
AB 51: Arbitration
agreements. Starting January 1, workers can’t be forced into mandatory
arbitration by an employer. The law bans mandatory arbitration agreements with
employees. The law does not apply to arbitration agreements entered into prior
to January 1, 2020.
SB 1343: Sexual harassment. Requires businesses with at least five
employees to provide sexual harassment training to its employees within six
months of being hired, and every two years after that.
SB 83: Paid family leave. New
parents will have more time to care for their child. Benefits under Paid Family
Leave will increase from six weeks to eight weeks starting on July 1, 2020.
HOUSING
AB 1482: Rent control.
Communities without their own rent control laws will now be covered by
statewide rent control protections. The law limits rent increases to 5 percent
each year plus inflation, but never above 10 percent total. The law does not
apply to housing built in the 15 years prior. The limit is a rolling number so
the date housing is excluded changes every year.
AB 652: Religious displays. You have
more protections to display religious items like menorahs or crosses outside
your home. The law prohibits landlords and homeowner associations from banning
the display of religious items on entry doors or door frames. The items cannot
be larger than 26 by 12 inches.
SB 222: Housing discrimination. This
law expands existing law to protect veterans and military personnel against
housing discrimination.
PRIVACY
AB 375: Online privacy. Want to know what information companies like Facebook or Google are collecting about you? The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives internet users more control over their data. Among other things, the law gives users the right to know what data is collected, the right to reject the sale of your information and the right to delete your data.
MARRIAGE SB 30: Domestic partners What’s good for same-sex couples is good for heterosexual couples. This law allows heterosexual couples to register as domestic partners instead of getting married. Currently, only heterosexual couples age 62 or older were allowed to register as domestic partners because of social security benefits. The new law could help couples with combined higher incomes avoid the federal marriage tax penalty.
HEALTHCARE
SB 104: Healthcare for
undocumented immigrants. California becomes the first state in the nation
to offer government-subsidized health benefits to young adults living in the
country illegally. The law expands the Medicaid program to include low-income
adults age 25 or younger regardless of their immigration status.
AB 2119: Transgender youth. Transgender
youth in the foster care system will get appropriate health care. The law is
the first in the country to include access to gender-affirming medical
services, mental health counseling, hormone therapy and surgery.
ANIMALS
SB 1249: Animal testing Prohibits
the sale of cosmetic products with ingredients that were tested on animals after
January 1, 2020. The law does not affect products sold globally where animal
testing is required by law.
AB 1762: Dog areas. The California
Department of Parks and Recreation has until July 1, 2020 to establish a
comprehensive list of state parks that allow dogs, including the specific areas
that allow dogs and the total miles of trails that are open to dogs.
Please let us know how you think California is doing. Also remember these laws are for California only, each state differs and also doesn’t reflect the nation as a whole. Federal laws are sometimes very different, for instance, marijuana is still not recognized for recreational use on a federal level and can impact foreign nationals whilst in the US.
The more you know right?
I hope 2020 is off to a cracking start for you.
See ya soon
Craig Young
