2005 California Employment Law Legislative Update

The year 2004 did not bring the deluge of new labor and employment laws that characterized Governor Gray Davis’ tenure in Sacramento. However, the state legislation that was passed in 2004 and signed by Governor Schwarzenegger will nonetheless have a significant impact on California employers. The following is a brief summary of the newly passed legislation in the labor and employment area and the impact it will likely have on employers.

Shortly before he left office in 2003, former Governor Gray Davis signed AB 205, the California Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act of 2003. While California has long been a leader in extending legal protections to same-sex couples, the passage of AB 205 marks the state’s most comprehensive legislation yet. AB 205 eliminates many distinctions between registered domestic partners and married, opposite-sex couples under California law.