Voters in the city of San Diego supported a ballot measure that imposes a citywide minimum wage and also requires employers to provide paid sick leave.  The ordinance is now in effect while an implementing ordinance (“IO”) amending the sick leave requirements remains pending. While the IO requires a second read before it is effective, the City Council has set July 11, 2016 as the effective date for employers to comply with the ordinance’s original requirements. This communication summarizes the current ordinance and highlights changes and clarification provided by the IO.

California has amended Section 6404.5 of its Labor Code to expand its prohibition on the smoking of tobacco products in a place of employment.  In addition to bringing owner-operated businesses into the gambit of environments in which smoking is prohibited, the law eliminates most of the exemptions that permitted smoking in certain work environments, such as hotel lobbies, bars and taverns, banquet rooms, warehouse facilities, and employee break rooms.

The California state poster and the Wisconsin state Notice to Employees About Applying for Wisconsin Unemployment Benefits poster have been updated. This is a material substantive change and new Wisconsin, California, All–In-One posters are required.