Governor Newsom just signed Senate Bill 617 into law on October 1, 2025, expanding California’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (Cal-WARN) Act. As a reminder, the WARN Act requires employers to give 60-days’ notice before a mass layoff, plant closure, or relocation. In addition, employers must notify employees and both state and local representatives. This
Minimum Wage Increases Now in Effect Across Several Provinces
As of October 1, 2025, minimum wage rates have officially increased in several provinces. Employers should review their payroll practices to ensure they remain compliant with the new rates and related employment standards obligations.
New Minimum Wage Rates
The following provincial increases came into effect on October 1:
- Ontario – from $17.20 to $17.60 per hour
- Manitoba – from
Friday’s Five: Governor Newsom Signs SB 642 — Major Updates to California’s Pay Transparency and Equal Pay Laws
Governor Newsom just signed SB 642 into law, making big changes to California’s pay transparency and equal pay requirements. The law goes into effect January 1, 2026, and employers need to start preparing now.
For a full overview of the other employment bills signed and vetoed by the Governor impacting employers in 2026, you can
New 2026 Employment Law Requirements in California: Key Bills Signed, Vetoed, and What’s Next
California’s 2025 legislative session has officially wrapped, and Governor Gavin Newsom has made his final decisions on hundreds of bills sent to his desk before the October 13 deadline. For California employers, this year’s legislative package delivers another wave of significant workplace changes—spanning wage equity, paid family leave, worker classification, and expanded employee rights across
Attention Employers: It’s Time to Audit Your Employment Contracts
Employment contracts shouldn’t be considered “set it and forget it” documents. With what feels like almost constantly evolving case law, employers need to keep contracts up to date or risk having key provisions thrown out by a court.
If a termination clause is found to be invalid, the promises in your contract (most typically limiting
How You Can Use AI to Promote Diversity in Your Company
The Case for Diversity
Beyond all the moral and ethical reasons for promoting a diverse workforce, the business case for diversity is clear.
A decade ago, a McKinsey study of 366 companies in Canada, Latin America, the United Kingdom, and the United States found clear business advantages for diverse businesses.
According to the study, companies
Think Better! Refreshing Your Remote Workspace Without Renovation
The way your team works is directly influenced by the spaces they work in. For employers, that means your hybrid or remote workforce’s productivity, creativity, and wellness are closely tied to their environment. Architect and author Donald M. Rattner put it this way:
“Our mental space (i.e. idea space) expands and contracts in direct proportion
Choosing the Right Employer Service Model in Canada: PEOs vs EORs vs Staffing Agencies
Expanding into Canada? Compare Employer of Record (EOR), Professional Employer Organization (PEO), and staffing agencies. Learn which model best fits your hiring, compliance, and payroll needs.
From Hiring to Privacy: How AI Is Reshaping California Workplaces
AI is no longer just a buzzword—it’s actively transforming the workplace. Whether employers are aware of it or not, AI tools are being embedded into daily operations across industries. With California pushing forward with proposed regulations that could take effect as early as July 1, 2025, employers must begin understanding the implications now. Here are
Personal cell phones at work: Five lessons employers should take away about expense reimbursement set forth in Cochran v. Schwan’s Home Services
Colin Cochran brought a putative class action against his employers, Schwan’s Home Service, on behalf of 1,500 customer service managers who were not reimbursed for expenses pertaining to the work-related use of their personal cell phones. He alleged causes of action for violation of Labor Code section 2802; unfair business practices under Business and Professions