California continues to be the birthplace of ideas that complicate employment laws.
True to form, it is the first state to adopt the concept of intersectionality in its anti-discrimination statutes.
On September 27, 2024, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill 1137 (SB 1137) into law. This legislation amends several provisions of existing California law to clarify that unlawful discriminatory practices may include “any combination” of protected characteristics or traits – not just a single one.
Of particular importance to companies: SB 1137 thus modifies the Unruh Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination by business establishments, and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment. The updates to these laws will take effect on January 1, 2025.