California Employment Law Updates for 2025: Key Changes for Employees
As we enter 2025, California continues to expand workplace protections with new laws affecting retaliation, hiring practices, leave rights, independent contractors, and workplace discrimination standards. Staying informed is critical for employees—and for employers trying to comply with evolving obligations.
At Matern Law Group, we help employees understand their rights and take action when those rights are violated. Below are major 2025 updates and why they matter.
What’s Covered in This 2025 Update
- Ban on forced “captive audience” meetings about religion, politics, or unions (SB 399)
- New workplace posting requirements on whistleblower rights (AB 2299)
- Intersectionality explicitly recognized as a basis for discrimination claims (SB 1137)
- Expanded leave protections for victims of violence and certain family members (AB 2499)
- Limits on driver’s license requirements in job postings (SB 1100)
- Freelance Worker Protection Act: written contracts and prompt pay rules (SB 988)
Forced Work Meetings for Religion and Politics Banned (SB 399)
California enacted the California Worker Freedom from Employer Intimidation Act (SB 399), which prohibits employers from requiring employees to attend meetings that communicate the employer’s views on religious or political matters, including matters relating to union activity.
Impact on Employees
- Helps protect workers from intimidation or coercion in employer-sponsored meetings
- Violations can trigger civil penalties (including per-employee/per-meeting penalties)
- Retaliation for refusing or opposing prohibited conduct may support additional claims
What You Can Do
- Document the date, time, topic, and who required attendance
- Save messages, calendars, and meeting invites
- If retaliation occurs, speak with an employment attorney promptly
Increased Transparency of Whistleblowers’ Rights (AB 2299)
AB 2299 increases workplace transparency by requiring employers to prominently post a notice outlining employee whistleblower rights and responsibilities, including protections against retaliation for reporting workplace violations.
Impact on Employees
- Improves awareness of whistleblower protections and reporting options
- Can help employees act more confidently when reporting misconduct (e.g., wage theft, unsafe conditions)
What You Can Do
- Take a photo of the posted notice (or note if it is missing)
- Preserve evidence of reports you made (emails, texts, HR tickets, witness names)
- If retaliation follows, consult counsel to evaluate next steps
Intersectionality Explicitly Recognized (SB 1137)
California amended FEHA (and related civil rights laws) to explicitly recognize intersectionality—discrimination based on a combination of two or more protected characteristics (e.g., race + gender)—as a basis for claims.
This codifies long-recognized principles in case law that discrimination and harassment may target overlapping identities in ways not experienced by coworkers who share only one of those characteristics.
Impact on Employees
- Strengthens legal clarity for claims involving overlapping protected traits
- Helps address real-world discrimination that doesn’t fit neatly into a single category
What You Can Do
- Write down incidents with dates, witnesses, and exact language used
- Report conduct through appropriate internal channels when safe to do so
- Seek legal advice to assess potential claims and deadlines
Time Off for Victims of Violence Expanded (AB 2499)
AB 2499 expands and updates protections for employees who are survivors of violence (and, in certain circumstances, family members of victims). The law broadens qualifying reasons for protected time off and also includes expanded notice obligations.
Impact on Employees
- Broader access to protected leave for qualifying safety, medical, legal, or related needs
- Stronger anti-retaliation protections connected to requesting or using protected leave
What You Can Do
- Notify your employer of your need for leave as soon as practicable
- Provide documentation if required (and keep copies)
- If you face resistance or retaliation, consult an employment attorney
Driver’s License Discrimination Prohibited (SB 1100)
SB 1100 restricts when employers can require a driver’s license in job ads, postings, applications, and similar materials. Employers generally cannot require a driver’s license unless:
- Driving is reasonably expected to be a job function, and
- Using alternative transportation would not be comparable in travel time or cost (based on the role)
Impact on Employees
- Helps prevent irrelevant licensing requirements from screening out qualified applicants
- Promotes job access where driving is not truly essential
What You Can Do
- Save screenshots of postings that appear to include unlawful driver’s license requirements
- Document how the job could be performed without driving
- Speak with counsel about options if you were denied employment or screened out
Freelance Worker Protections Strengthened (SB 988)
The Freelance Worker Protection Act (SB 988) sets baseline rules for many freelance relationships, including written contract requirements for covered engagements and payment protections.
Impact on Freelancers
- Written contract requirements for many engagements meeting the statutory threshold
- Payment due by the contract date—or, if not specified, generally within a set timeframe after services are completed
- Potential remedies for violations, including recovery of unpaid amounts and attorneys’ fees in qualifying cases
What You Can Do
- Keep copies of contracts, statements of work, invoices, and communications
- Track delivery dates, approvals, and completion milestones
- If you’re not paid on time or were denied a written agreement, consult an attorney
How Matern Law Group Can Help
Navigating California’s updated employment laws can be difficult—especially when retaliation, misclassification, discrimination, or leave violations are involved. If you believe your rights were violated under California’s 2025 employment law updates, contact Matern Law Group for a consultation.