AB 1940: Menopause May Be Included in FEHA’s Definition of “Sex”

by Jennifer Shaw | | February 25, 2026

California lawmakers recently introduced AB 1940 (Calderon), a bill that would explicitly add perimenopause, menopause, post-menopause, and related medical conditions to the definition of “sex” under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Although FEHA...

Return-to-Office Doesn’t Override Accommodation Obligations

by Jennifer Shaw | | February 18, 2026

There is a renewed push to bring employees back into the office. Leaders want collaboration, mentorship, culture, and innovation. All legitimate business objectives. But here is the part that cannot get lost in the momentum: a return-to-office mandate does not cancel...

Why Policing Language at Work is a Risky Move

by Jennifer Shaw | | February 9, 2026

From time to time, HR hears a familiar complaint: “Employees are speaking another language, and it’s making others uncomfortable.” The impulse to step in is understandable. But in California, restricting language use at work is one of the quickest ways to create legal...

Talking About Minneapolis — and Other Current Events — at Work

by Jennifer Shaw | | January 26, 2026

When events like what’s unfolding in Minneapolis dominate the news cycle, they don’t stay outside the workplace. Employees bring their reactions, fears, anger, grief, and opinions with them — into meetings, breakrooms, Slack channels, and client calls. For California...

California Pay Scale Rules in 2026

by Jennifer Shaw | | January 20, 2026

California pay scale requirements have been in place for several years, yet many employers remain uncertain about what compliance truly requires. Now that we are in 2026, recent amendments to California’s pay transparency laws make one point clear. Compliance is no...
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