California Governor Jerry Brown signed several significant employment bills that took effect on January 1, 2018. Many businesses in the state have had to update their policies and practices accordingly. Below are five new laws that HR professionals hiring in the state of California should be aware of while completing pre-employment background checks and conducting training.

1. B. 168: Salary history inquiries. Employers are no longer able to ask job applicants about their current of prior earnings. Employers are now also required to provide a pay scale for a position upon an applicant’s request.
2. B. 450: Immigration enforcement. Employers are now required to demand warrants and subpoenas from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents before any enforcement activities and must provide certain notices to employees and their union representatives.
3. B. 1008: Ban the box. Employers with at least five employees are not allowed to consider a job applicant’s criminal history until a conditional employment offer is made. If an employer decides to deny employment based on an applicant’s criminal history, the employer must follow certain steps before making a final decision.
4. B. 63: New parent leave. Small businesses with 20-49 employees are required to provide 12 weeks of job-protected baby bonding leave within the first year following a child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement.
5. B. 396: Gender identity and sexual orientation harassment training. Training on gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation harassment has been added to the already required sexual harassment training. Employers are also required to post a transgender rights notice in the workplace.