Under California law, employers are prohibited from making, adopting, or enforcing policies that prevent an employee from disclosing violations of a state or federal statute, or a violation or noncompliance with a local, state, or federal regulation to, among others, a government or law enforcement agency. The law also prohibits employers from retaliating against an employee who makes such a disclosure.
Pursuant to California Assembly Bill 2299 signed by the Governor on July 15, 2024, the CA Labor Commission was instructed to develop an updated model notice of employees’ rights and responsibilities under California’s whistleblower laws.
The Labor Commissioner’s Office has recently issued its model whistleblower notice entitled “Whistleblowers Are Protected” for employers to use. It explains who is protected under the law; what constitutes “whistleblowing;” what protections are afforded to a whistleblower; and how to make a report to the CA Attorney General’s Whistleblower Hotline. The new whistleblower notice, which must be displayed in the workplace as of January 1, 2025, must be printed in lettering larger than 14-point type. Employers can obtain a copy here.