Mandatory Workplace “Know Your Rights” Notice Starting February 1st

The compliance deadline for compliance with new California mandatory workplace “Know Your Rights” notice requirement is February 1, 2026.

More specifically, the new law requires giving a standalone written notice to all employees and new hires at hire. The notice addresses wage-hour, discrimination, retaliation and other issues. Penalties can reach $10,000 per violation, making advance planning critical.

Good news: compliance is not difficult! The Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has issued a template you can download and distribute to employees. A Spanish translation is also available. Both are available at the DIR website, https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/Know-Your-Rights-Notice/Know-Your-Rights-Notice-English.pdf