Advising And Defending Businesses

New California Labor Laws for Salons Take Effect on July 1, 2017

On Behalf of | Jun 30, 2021 | Employment Law

If you’re doing business in California, you probably don’t need an employment lawyer to tell you that the state legislature continues to pass very employee-protective labor laws. Two more are about to take effect on July 1, 2017, that will affect businesses regulated by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (“BBC”).

The first law requires that establishments licensed by the BBC post yet another poster to educate their workers about their workplace rights and various wage and hour laws, such as those on overtime, meal and rest breaks, tipping, and protection against employer retaliation for reporting labor law violations. The statute states that starting on July 1, 2017, “The notice shall be posted in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean.” (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7353.4; Lab. Code, § 98.10.) You can find a copy of the notice in each of the four languages on the DLSE’s website.

The second law requires applicants for new or renewed licenses who own or operate an establishment regulated by the BBC to sign an acknowledgment indicating that the applicant “understands that establishments are responsible for compliance with any applicable labor laws of the state and that the applicant understands the informational materials on basic labor laws” that were provided by the board with the application. (Bus. & Prof. Code, § 7347, subd. (a).)

What are the “basic labor laws” applicants will be given information on and be required to affirm they understand? Section 7314.3 of the Business and Professions Code states that “Basic labor laws include, but are not limited to, all of the following: (1) Key differences between the legal rights, benefits, and obligations of an employee and an independent contractor. (2) Wage and hour rights for hourly employees. (3) Antidiscrimination laws relating to the use of a particular language in the workplace. (4) Antiretaliation laws relating to a worker’s right to file complaints with the Department of Industrial Relations. [And] (5) How to obtain more information about state and federal labor laws.”

Businesses licensed by the BBC aren’t the only employers who have new employment laws coming their way on July 1, 2017. See our recent article discussing new regulations for all California employers concerning employment applications and policies regarding inquiries into one’s criminal history.