New Employment laws 2027: state employment laws taking effect in 2027

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1198: Public works: prevailing wages.

  Some duties start later: the text names an operative date.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1235: California State University: skilled and trained workforce requirement.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1331: Workplace surveillance.

  Requires employers to prohibit workplace surveillance tools in bathrooms, locker rooms, changing areas, and lactation spaces, and allows workers to leave surveillance devices behind when entering these areas and public bathrooms or during off-duty hours.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1439: Public retirement systems: development projects: labor standards.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1683: Workers' compensation: prepaid cards.

  Extends indefinitely the authorization for employers to deposit workers' compensation disability indemnity payments into prepaid card accounts that meet specified requirements and disclosure standards.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1803: Employment: sexual harassment training and education: anti-hate speech training.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1818: California State University: employer-employee relations: meeting and conferring.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 187: Employment.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1883: Workplace surveillance tools.

  Requires employers to stop using workplace surveillance tools with artificial intelligence that collect neural data, recognize emotional states, make inferences based on gait, or identify protected characteristics, with exceptions for federal defense and security purposes.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1904: Teachers: credentialed educator apprenticeship programs.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 1980: Labor: apprenticeship: Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeships Grant Program.

  Requires the Department of Industrial Relations to establish a grant program providing stipends and support services to women, nonbinary individuals, and underrepresented populations in construction apprenticeships.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2078: Employees: meal periods: stationary engineers.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2129: State employees: compensation: firefighters.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2157: Workforce development: Displaced Oil and Gas Worker Pilot Program: extension.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2227: Farm labor contractors: surety bonds.

  Requires farm labor contractors to deposit higher surety bonds with the Labor Commissioner based on annual gross receipts: $50,000 for up to $500,000, $100,000 for $500,000 to $2,000,000, and $150,000 for over $2,000,000.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2321: Occupational safety and health: investigations.

  Requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Bureau of Investigations to establish written policies for reviewing workplace incidents and deciding whether to investigate or refer cases for prosecution.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2466: Strong Workforce Program: work-based learning opportunities: regional consortia.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2563: Sex discrimination: scope.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2634: Workforce development: High road training partnerships: scoring preference.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2646: Employment: minimum wages: agricultural workers.

  Requires employers to pay approved agricultural employees and corresponding employees a minimum wage of $19.75 per hour, adjusted annually for cost-of-living starting 1 January 2027.

• 1 January 2027

  California AB 2682: Transportation network company drivers: labor relations: appeals.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1012: Employment of inmates.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1046: Occupational safety: transboundary pollution.

  Requires the Division of Occupational Safety and Health to propose, by 1 January 2030, a standard protecting employees with high or prolonged outdoor exposure to transboundary pollution from Baja California.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1083: Noncertificated public school employees: private school employees: egregious misconduct: statewide data system: Commission on Teacher Credentialing: adverse actions: contracts and background checks for educational services.

  Some duties start later: the text names an operative date.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1166: Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District: employee relations.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1227: Department of Industrial Relations: apprenticeship pilot program.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1316: Employment.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1371: Solid waste handling services: labor dispute.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1383: Housing development: density bonus: incentives or concessions: labor standards.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 1444: Employment.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 909: Public works.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 947: Employment: automated decision systems.

  Beginning 1 July 2027, employers are prohibited from using automated decision systems to make certain employment decisions and must provide workers with data used and written notice when an automated system primarily drives discipline or termination decisions.

• 1 January 2027

  California SB 951: Employment: technological displacement: notice.

  Requires employers to give affected workers and state agencies 60 days' notice before laying off 50 or more workers due to artificial intelligence or automation replacing positions, and prohibits discharge without cause during the notice period.

• 1 January 2027

  Illinois HB 4758: JOB APPLICATION-DRIVER LICENSE

  Employers and employment agencies cannot refuse to hire, discriminate against, or require a driver's license for jobs where driving is not essential, effective 1 January 2027.

• 1 January 2027

  Kentucky SB 98: AN ACT relating to welding safety.

• 1 January 2027

  Rhode Island HB 7290: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- RESTRICTIONS ON SELF-SERVICE CHECKOUT STATIONS ACT

• 1 January 2027

  Rhode Island HB 7364: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- WAREHOUSE WORKER PROTECTION ACT

  Requires warehouse employers with at least 100 employees at one location to provide written quota descriptions to workers upon hire, including potential adverse employment actions.

• 1 January 2027

  Washington SB 5292: Concerning paid family and medical leave rates.

• 30 June 2027

  Washington HB 1155: Prohibiting noncompetition agreements and clarifying nonsolicitation agreements.

  Bans noncompetition agreements for all employees and independent contractors in Washington, with exceptions for business sales, franchises, and certain educational repayment agreements.

• 1 July 2027

  Washington HB 2355: Establishing labor protections for domestic workers.

Next year's employment laws are bills now. Follow them in every state with the Employment and Labor Legislation Tracker.