California Employers Have a New Annual Notice Requirement: What to Do Now

California employers have another required workplace notice to add to the compliance calendar.

Beginning February 1, 2026, employers must provide employees with a stand-alone “Workplace Know Your Rights” notice. The notice must be given to current employees annually, to new employees at hire, and to an employee’s authorized representative, if applicable.

This is not just another poster for the breakroom. The law requires a written notice covering several workplace rights, including workers’ compensation rights, immigration-related workplace protections, the right to organize or engage in protected concerted activity, and constitutional rights when interacting with law enforcement at the workplace.

Employers should take three practical steps now.

First, use the Labor Commissioner’s template notice unless there is a clear reason to customize it. A template helps reduce the risk that the notice is incomplete or outdated.

Second, decide how the notice will be distributed. Employers may generally provide it through regular workplace communication methods, but should be able to prove when and how it was sent.

Third, keep records. The statute requires employers to retain records of compliance for three years, including the date each notice was provided or sent.

Employers should also review emergency contact procedures. The law includes separate requirements related to notifying an employee’s designated emergency contact if the employee is arrested or detained at the worksite.

For small and mid-sized employers, the key is not to overcomplicate this. Add the notice to onboarding. Add it to the annual policy-distribution calendar. Save proof of distribution. Train managers not to improvise if immigration enforcement, law enforcement, or detention issues arise at work.

California’s notice obligations keep expanding, but this one is manageable with a clean process and good documentation.