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California employers face an important new compliance deadline under the state's newly enactedWorkplace Know Your Rights Act. By February 1, 2026, all California employers mustdistribute this mandatory "Know Your Rights" Noticeto their employees – and, thereafter, must continue to do so annually. This requirement applies to all employers, regardless of size.
The California Labor Commissioner has issued a template of the notice, which summarizes various employee rights under state and federal law, including anti-retaliation protections, workers' compensation information, union and concerted activity rights, immigration-related protections, and certain constitutional rights. Importantly, the law does not create new rights but requires employers to affirmatively communicate existing rights to current employees.
Employers must provide the notice as a stand-alone communication (not just a poster or handbook provision) and may deliver it electronically or in hard copy, so long as receipt within one business day is reasonably assured. Employers should document distribution and provide the notice in the language normally used to communicate workplace information. The California Labor Commissioner already has issued the notice in English and Spanish, with additional translations expected in the near future.
Employers should begin planning now to issue the notice by month's end and then incorporate this new annual compliance obligation into onboarding and HR workflows ahead of the 2026 deadline.
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