CALIFORNIA EMPLOYMENT LAW  ·  2026 UPDATES     California just handed workers and employers a fresh stack of laws. Higher wages, banned “stay-or-pay” traps, AI hiring rules, expanded leave rights, a new ‘Know Your Rights’ notice, and much more. Here’s your plain-English guide to what changed and what it means for you. Every January, California employers and workers wake up to a new stack of laws. Some years it’s incremental. Other years — like 2026 — the changes are sweeping