SB 1444: Employment.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

(1)Existing law, the Public Employees’ Retirement Law, permits a member of the Public Employees’ Retirement System to elect from among several optional settlements for the purpose of structuring the member’s retirement allowance. Existing law requires a member to make an election, revocation, or change of election within 30 calendar days after the making of the first payment on account of any retirement allowance or, in the event of a change of retirement status after retirement, within 30 calendar days after making the first payment on account of that change in retirement status.

This bill would extend the timeframe for those actions to within 60 calendar days after making the first payment.

(2)Existing law sets forth the Labor Commissioner’s duties, including investigating employee complaints, and requires the Labor Commissioner, within 30 days of the filing of the complaint, to notify the parties as to whether a hearing will be held and whether certain actions will be taken. Existing law requires a party who has received actual notice of a claim before the Labor Commissioner to notify the Labor Commissioner in writing of any changes in that party’s business or personal address within 10 days after the change in address occurs. Existing law requires a copy of the complaint to be served on all parties when a hearing is set, and specifies the copy shall be served personally, by certified mail, or pursuant to specified provisions authorizing certain service in lieu of personal delivery. Existing law requires the Labor Commissioner to file a decision within 15 days after the hearing is concluded and to serve a copy of that decision on the parties in the same manner as the copy of the complaint.

This bill would also require a party to notify the Labor Commissioner of any changes to that party’s electronic address. The bill would revise the manner in which notice is required to be given and the copy of the decision is required to be served to include first-class mail, registered mail, or any manner that the party agrees to accept service, except that any party that is represented by an attorney would be required to accept electronic service from the Labor Commissioner. The bill would require a represented party to provide their attorney’s electronic mail address.

(3)Existing law makes it unlawful for a person or employer to engage in certain acts relating to the willful misclassification of an individual as an independent contractor and imposes certain civil penalties for violations of that provision, as specified. Existing law entitles an employee to recover damages for a violation, as specified, and sets forth certain enforcement provisions. In this regard, existing law provides that, for each public employee subject to specified statutes, the Labor Commissioner or a public prosecutor may alternatively recover the above-referenced civil penalties as damages payable to the employee, as specified.

This bill would, instead, provide that each employee under those statutes, the Labor Commissioner, or a public prosecutor may alternatively recover the above-referenced civil penalties as damages payable to the employee, as specified.

Sponsors

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. August 27, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 162, Statutes of 2026.
2. August 27, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. August 18, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.
4. August 13, 2026In Senate. Ordered to engrossing and enrolling.
5. August 13, 2026Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 72. Noes 0. Page 6160.) Ordered to the Senate.
6. August 6, 2026Read second time. Ordered to consent calendar.
7. August 5, 2026From committee: Do pass. Ordered to consent calendar. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (August 5).
8. June 24, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
9. June 23, 2026From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on P. E. & R. with recommendation: To consent calendar. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on P. E. & R.
10. June 18, 2026Assembly Rule 56 suspended.
11. May 26, 2026Referred to Coms. on INS. and P. E. & R.
12. May 7, 2026In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.