Beginning on January 1, 2025, a new law went into effect that prohibits employers in California from requiring employees to listen to their employers’ political or religious opinions at work. Also, if an employer holds a work meeting to discuss the employer’s political or religious opinions, and an employee refuses to attend, the employer must pay the employee for the time during the meeting even though the employees did not attend the meeting.
This protection extends to all methods of communication that an employer may use, not just in person meetings. For example, phone calls, emails, videoconferences, etc. This new law does not apply however to an employer requiring an employee to undergo training to comply with the employer’s legal obligations, such as complying with anti-discrimination laws.
Finally, an employer cannot retaliate against, discriminate, or fire an employee who refuses to participate in or listen to an employer’s communications about the employer’s political or religious opinions. An employer who violates this law is subject to a civil penalty of $500 per employee for each violation, and an employee may file a civil lawsuit in a court for damages that the employer caused.
(See Link(s): Labor Code section 1137)