ASAP
New Year, New Employment Laws – What Takes Effect January 1, 2026?
At a Glance
This roundup of new laws provides a snapshot of generally applicable labor and employment laws taking effect in or around January 1, 2026.
As the calendar turns to 2026, employers across the country face a fresh wave of labor and employment law changes that will reshape workplace compliance, employee rights, and business operations. From expanded protections for gig workers and whistleblowers to new rules governing employment contracts, data privacy, and workplace transparency, this year’s legislative updates reflect a growing emphasis on fairness, accountability, and adaptability in the modern workforce.
This roundup of new laws provides a snapshot of generally applicable labor and employment laws taking effect in or around January 1. It is not meant to be all-inclusive, and does not include certain industry-specific laws affecting every workplace. Additionally, the following roundup does not include new minimum wage-related laws taking effect in the new year, which will be covered in a separate article. Employers with questions about which laws are taking effect in the jurisdictions in which they operate should consult with employment counsel.
- Alabama
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Independent Contractor/ Employee Benefits
Allows independent contractors to open and contribute to tax deductible “portable benefits accounts” to fund benefit plans.
December 31, 2025
- California
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Reproductive Health
Prohibits prosecution of pharmacists and other medical professionals for manufacturing, prescribing, or furnishing mifepristone or other medication abortion drugs. Would also prohibit healthcare plans or insurance policies from excluding coverage for mifepristone, even if it has not been approved by the FDA.
January 1, 2026
Labor Law Claims
Allows an employee to petition the Public Employment Relations Board to hear an unfair labor practice case if the NLRB has failed to act in six months.
January 1, 2026
Artificial Intelligence (AI)/Technology
Prohibits a defendant who developed, modified, or used artificial intelligence (AI) from asserting a defense that the AI autonomously caused harm to the plaintiff.
January 1, 2026
Paid Sick Leave / Crime Victims Leave (Unpaid)
Allows employees to use leave if they or a family member are a victim of certain crimes and are attending judicial proceedings related to that crime.
January 1, 2026
Food Delivery Platforms/Tips
Prohibits food delivery platforms (FDPs) from using tips or gratuities to offset the base pay of delivery drivers. Requires FDPs to provide an itemized breakdown of pay received for a delivery and prohibits deducting delivery drivers’ gratuities from customer refunds.
January 1, 2026
Employee Training / Hospitality Industry
Requires restaurants to provide training for all employees upon hire, and annually, on pest prevention practices, pest control procedures, and on the employee’s responsibility to maintain a vermin-free environment.
January 1, 2026
Employment Contracts and Agreements
Prohibits, with certain exceptions, contracts that require a worker to repay an employer, training provider, or debt collector for a debt when the employment relationship or work ends.
January 1, 2026
Garnishments
Requires an employer to provide additional information to the levying officer in an employee wage garnishment.
January 1, 2026
Recall and Reinstatement
Extends until January 1, 2027, the recall and reinstatement rights of employees laid off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
January 1, 2026
Union Organization/Rideshare Drivers
Allows “transportation network company drivers” (rideshare drivers) who meet certain criteria to unionize and collectively bargain, and provides rules and timetables for union certification.
January 1, 2026
Wage Payment Judgments
Provides for penalties of up to three times the outstanding amount if a final judgment for unpaid wages remains unsatisfied 180 days after the appeal period ends.
January 1, 2026
Notice Requirements
As of February 1, 2026, requires employers to provide notices of labor rights to new employees, and current employees annually, and to notify an employee’s emergency contact if the employee is arrested or detained on their worksite.
January 1, 2026
Discrimination and Harassment
Provides that an employee’s assessment, testing, admission, or acknowledgment of their own personal bias, as part of a bias mitigation training, does not constitute unlawful discrimination.
January 1, 2026
Home Health Care
Beginning on January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, requires home care aides to have training on the special needs of clients with dementia before providing home care.
January 1, 2026
Privacy and Data Security
Requires businesses to disclose a data security breach to impacted consumers and the state attorney general within 30 days of the breach.
January 1, 2026
Pay Data Reporting
Increases the job categories for pay data reporting and requires employers to store demographic data separately from personnel records.
January 1, 2026
Discrimination
Defines the term “group or class” for purposes of filing a complaint under the Fair Employment and Housing Act, and tolls the time for a complainant to file a civil action in certain circumstances.
January 1, 2026
Personnel Files
Expands the scope of personnel documents employers must allow employees to inspect to include education and training records.
January 1, 2026
Paid Family ⁄ Medical Leave
Permits employees to use paid family leave to care for a “designated person” beginning July 1, 2028, and defines the term.
January 1, 2026
Healthcare
Defines “on-call list” of nurses for purposes of determining whether an administrative penalty is to be assessed for nurse-to-patient ratio violations.
January 1, 2026
Reductions in Force (RIFs ⁄ WARN)
Expands the information required to be included in notices of mass layoffs, relocation, or termination of a covered establishment under the California Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (Cal-WARN).
January 1, 2026
Pay Transparency
Revises the definition of “pay scale” under the Pay Transparency Law, and extends the statute of limitations for filing suit and the look-back period for calculating damages.
January 1, 2026
Tips
Authorizes the Labor Commissioner to investigate and issue a citation or file a civil action for gratuities unlawfully taken or withheld by the employer.
January 1, 2026
Privacy and Data Security
Requires businesses to conduct cybersecurity audits, risk assessments, and, for businesses that use automated decision-making technologies (ADMT), creates consumer information requirements, and opt-out rights.
January 1, 2026
- Colorado
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Paid Family/Medical Leave
Provides up to an additional 12 weeks of leave for any parent who has a child receiving care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and slightly lowers premiums.
January 1, 2026
- Connecticut
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Connecticut SB 5005 (2024)
Paid Sick Leave
Employers covered by law expanded to include those with 11 or more employees.
January 1, 2026
- Delaware
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Paid Family/Medical Leave
Provides up 12 weeks of paid parental leave, 6 weeks of paid family caregiver leave, or 6 weeks of paid medical leave in an application year
January 1, 2026
- Illinois
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Discrimination: Employer-Provided Electronic Devices
Prohibits employers from disciplining or retaliating against employees for using employer-provided electronic devices to record acts of violence.
January 1, 2026
Blood and Organ Donation Leave
Expands eligibility for leave under the Blood and Organ Donation Leave Act to include part-time employees.
January 1, 2026
Health Care
Amends the Epinephrine Injector Act to require an anaphylaxis training program completion certificate; creates good Samaritan protections for authorized entities and persons.
January 1, 2026
Employee Benefits
Provides that the Transportation Benefits Program Act does not apply to construction workers covered by a union contract, and expands program eligibility to part-time employees.
January 1, 2026
Technology; Employment Contracts
Provides that the failure to include a reasonably specific description of the intended uses of a digital replica in contracts for the performance of personal or professional services does not render an agreement unenforceable under the Digital Voice and Likeness Protection Act.
January 1, 2026
Unemployment/New Hire and Wage Reports
Expands eligibility for unemployment benefits to individuals who cannot perform work due to a mental health disability; Provides for the recovery of unemployment benefits, plus interest and penalties, paid to ineligible individuals; Permits courts to enjoin an employer from doing business for willful failure to file required new hire or wage reports.
January 1, 2026
Labor Law/Contracts and Agreements
Prohibits any contract or agreement that restricts employees or former employees from engaging in concerted activities to address work-related issues.
January 1, 2026
Discrimination: Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Amends the Human Rights Act to prohibit employers from using AI that has the effect of subjecting employees to discrimination or using zip codes as a proxy for protected classes; Requires employers to notify employees of the employer’s use of AI.
January 1, 2026
Paid Lactation Breaks
Requires employers to compensate employees during lactation breaks at their regular compensation rate.
January 1, 2026
Workplace Training: Food Service
Requires food service sanitation managers to include training on celiac disease and the safe handling of gluten-free foods.
January 1, 2026
Workplace Training: Restaurants and Truck Stops
Expands the Human Trafficking Recognition Training Act to cover restaurant and truck stop employers and adds enforcement provisions.
January 1, 2026
Discrimination and Harassment
Provides that fact-finding conferences for charges under the Human Rights Act are discretionary rather than mandatory; Provides for per-violation penalties for civil rights violations.
January 1, 2026
- Indiana
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Wage and Hour
Creates the Indiana Earned Wage Access Act, which allows consumers to access their earned but unpaid wages, salary, or compensation before their scheduled pay date, and provides regulations for provider compliance.
January 1, 2026
Privacy and Data Security
Creates a new consumer data privacy protection law, which provides rights for consumers regarding the processing and protection of their personal data.
January 1, 2026
- Kentucky
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Privacy and Data Security
Provides requirements for businesses that control or process personal data of at least 100,000 consumers regarding the protection of personal data, including a notice and consent requirement.
January 1, 2026
- Maryland
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Wage and Hour/ App-Based Workers
Requires transportation network companies (TNC) to provide operators with weekly fare and earnings summaries; Requires annual reports of certain information to the Public Service Commission.
January 1, 2026
- Minnesota
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Minnesota Final Rules re Paid Family and Medical Leave (Minn. Rules Part 3317) / Minnesota HF 2 (2023)
Paid Family/Medical Leave
Employee may take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for their own serious health condition and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for bonding, family care, safety, or a qualifying exigency, but are limited to an aggregate of 20 weeks of paid leave in a benefit year. The final rules address various issues, including requirements for notifying employers of the need for leave and requests for leave changes.
January 1, 2026
Meal/ Rest Breaks
Requires employers to allow employees a paid rest break of at least 15 minutes “or enough time to utilize the nearest convenient restroom, whichever is longer” within every four hours of consecutive work. Employees working for six or more consecutive hours must be provided a paid 30-minute meal break.
January 1, 2026
Paid Sick Leave
Amendments address advancing paid sick and safe time in advance of accrual
January 1, 2026
Minnesota: Minneapolis Ordinance No. 2025-041
Paid Sick Leave
More closely aligns the Minneapolis paid sick and safe leave ordinance with the statewide law and modifies enforcement provisions.
December 31, 2025
Minnesota: St. Paul Ordinance No. 25-55
Wage and Hour
Amends the St. Paul minimum wage ordinance to delete the macro business category; Requires employers to provide all new employees with a wage notice and all employees with wage statements.
November 16, 2025
Minnesota: St. Paul Ordinance No. 25-56
Wage and Hour Penalties
Amends the St. Paul wage theft ordinance to authorize the Labor Standards Division to obtain an administrative search warrant if an employer fails to produce wage records.
November 16, 2025
Minnesota: St. Paul Ordinance No. 25-57
Paid Sick Leave
More closely aligns the St. Paul paid sick and safe leave ordinance with the statewide law.
November 16, 2025
- Montana
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
App-Based Workers
Allows retail licensees, such as grocery stores, to use third-party delivery services to deliver beer and wine, with strict requirements, including training
January 1, 2026
- Nevada
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Workplace Safety
Provides actions certain employers must take to reduce employee exposure to poor air quality from wildfire smoke.
January 1, 2026
- New Hampshire
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Unpaid Family/Medical Leave
Requires employers with 20 or more employees to provide 25 hours of unpaid leave for one year after childbirth to attend medical appointments related to childbirth, postpartum care, and infant pediatric needs.
January 1, 2026
New Hampshire HB 225 (LSR 216)
Military/Spouse Employment Protection
Provides employment protections to the spouses of military service members involuntarily mobilized due to war, national emergency, or contingency operations.
January 1, 2026
- New Jersey
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Labor Management Relations
Amends the state’s captive audience law to modify the definition of “political matters” to expressly include the decision to join or support a labor organization; clarifies exceptions to the law.
December 2, 2025
- New York
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
New York Budget Amendments to Healthy Terminals Act
Wages, Benefits, and Leaves
Provides that wage, benefit, and leave obligations for covered airport workers at JFK and LaGuardia Airports will be tied to the federal Service Contract Act framework as designated by the New York State Department of Labor.
January 1, 2026
Paid Sick Leave / Unpaid Sick Leave / Paid Prenatal Leave / Scheduling
Expands the permissible uses for paid sick and safe time; requires employers to provide an additional bank of 32 hours of unpaid sick and safe time, officially incorporates additional bank of 20 hours of state paid prenatal leave into local ordinance, and clarifies employers’ obligations in responding to requests for temporary schedule changes.
February 22, 2026
Retirement Benefits
New York’s Secure Choice Program is a state-run retirement program that mandates and facilitates the creation of Roth IRAs for private-sector employees who do not have access to a qualified retirement plan through their employers. Beginning in March of 2026, New York will require most private-sector employers to register for the Program or certify their exemption from the Program. *Employers with 30 or more employees must register by March 18, 2026; those with 15-29 must register by May 15, 2026; those with 10-14 employees must register by July 15, 2026.
March 18, 2026*
- North Carolina
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Gender Identity/
Discrimination and Harassment
Provides that for purposes of any state law or rules and regulations, "sex" means a person’s biological sex, either male or female, at birth. Adds provisions to prevent the sexual exploitation of women and minors.
January 1, 2026
- North Dakota
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Tax Withholding
Prohibits employers from withholding or deducting income taxes from wages without employee consent.
January 1, 2026
- Oklahoma
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Data Security
Amends the definitions of “personal information” and “reasonable safeguards” under the Security Breach Notification Act.
January 1, 2026
- Oregon
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Construction industry/Unpaid Wages
Imposes joint and several liability on both property owners and direct contractors for unpaid wages owed to employees not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
January 1, 2026
Healthcare/
Workplace Violence
Creates workplace violence prevention requirements for certain health care entities.
January 1, 2026
Paid Family/Medical Leave
Employees cannot receive benefits while they are eligible to receive workers’ compensation or unemployment benefits.
January 1, 2026
Wage Statements
Requires employers to provide employees with an explanation of their wage statements at the time of hire.
January 1, 2026
Unemployment / Labor Law
Provides unemployment benefits to striking workers after two weeks of unemployment.
January 1, 2026
Paid Sick Leave
Allows employees to use paid sick time to donate blood.
January 1, 2026
Home Health and Home Care/Wage and Hour
Prohibits per-visit compensation for home health care and home hospice care staff.
January 1, 2026
- Pennsylvania
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Ordinance No. 250373
Criminal Background Checks
Amends the Fair Criminal Record Screening Standards Ordinance to clarify and expand the required procedures for individualized assessments and adverse action notices regarding criminal records in hiring decisions.
January 6, 2026
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Ordinance No. 2025-1736
Paid Sick Leave
Modifies the accrual rate, use and accrual caps for paid sick leave.
January 1, 2026
- Rhode Island
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Workplace Training
Requires hotel employees to receive human trafficking awareness training annually
January 1, 2026
Hiring / Onboarding
Requires employers to provide each employee with a written notice of specific conditions of employment upon hire.
January 1, 2026
Paid Family/Medical Leave
Provides that an employee may use temporary caregiver insurance benefits retroactive to January 1, 2025, to serve as a bone marrow transplant donor or a living organ donor.
January 1, 2026
Disability Insurance / Paid Family/Medical Leave
Increases the percent of wages used to determine temporary disability insurance benefits and amends duration period of caregiver benefits; extends temporary caregiver benefits eligibility to workers who are caring for a sibling.
January 1, 2026
- Texas
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Regulates the use of AI systems; establishes antidiscrimination and disclosure requirements for deployers of AI systems.
January 1, 2026
Unemployment
Changes the definition of "last work" for unemployment compensation purposes.
January 1, 2026
- Washington
Bill / Ordinance / Regulation
Main Topic
Summary
Effective Date
Workplace Violence/Healthcare
Requires health care employers to develop and implement a workplace violence prevention plan; requires employers to investigate workplace violence incidents and submit an assessment report to the state.
January 1, 2026
Paid Family/Medical Leave
Amends state paid family and medical leave program to expands employment restoration protections and requires employers to provide written notice regarding employment restoration.
January 1, 2026
Workplace Safety/Training
Requires employers in specified industries to provide annual training to managers, supervisors, and isolated employees on sexual assault and sexual harassment.
January 1, 2026
Meal Period Waiver
Provides that a health care worker may agree to waive certain meal periods if a written waiver is completed.
January 1, 2026
Unemployment
Clarifies the requirements for unemployment benefits eligibility during a labor strike.
January 1, 2026
Victims of Violence Leave / Paid Sick Leave
Expands access to domestic and sexual violence leave and safety accommodations to include workers who are victims of hate crimes, which also affects “safe” time reasons under separate paid sick and safe time law.
January 1, 2026
Long Term Care Insurance
Introduces expanded participation options, new insurance frameworks, and streamlined qualification requirements for the Washington Cares long-term care insurance program.
January 1, 2026
