Since February 1, 2026, every employer in California has been required to hand you a written notice explaining your workplace rights. If you never received one, your employer is already in violation of the law.
The California Workplace Know Your Rights Act (SB 294) is one of the most important new worker protection laws to take effect in 2026, and it was designed with a specific goal in mind: making sure every employee in California, regardless of language, immigration status, or industry, knows exactly what rights they have on the job.
The law also includes a separate provision that took effect on March 30, 2026, requiring employers to let every worker designate an emergency contact in case of arrest or detention. This provision carries steep penalties for noncompliance and was created in direct response to growing concerns about immigration enforcement in California workplaces.
Here is what the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act requires, what protections it provides, and what you can do if your employer has not complied.
What Is the SB 294 Workplace Rights Notice?
Under the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act, every California employer must provide a written workplace rights notice to all employees at least once per year. The first notice was due by February 1, 2026, and employers must continue providing it annually going forward.
The notice is not a vague pamphlet or generic poster. The Labor Commissioner’s Office created a standardized template that employers are required to use, and it covers four specific categories of rights.
Workers’ compensation rights. The notice must inform employees that they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if they are injured on the job, regardless of immigration status. It must include instructions for reporting a workplace injury and filing a claim.
Immigration inspection rights. Under the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act, the notice must explain what happens if federal immigration agents show up at a worksite. Employees have the right to be informed before an inspection occurs, and the notice must outline the employer’s obligations during an immigration audit or enforcement action.
Right to organize. The notice must inform workers that they have the legal right to join or form a union, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action to improve working conditions, all without retaliation from their employer.
Constitutional rights with law enforcement. The notice must explain that employees have constitutional protections when interacting with law enforcement at work. This includes the right to remain silent, the right to refuse consent to a search, and the right to speak with an attorney.
The California Workplace Know Your Rights Act requires this notice to be provided in the employee’s primary language. If an employer has workers who speak Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, or any other language, the notice must be translated and provided in that language. English-only distribution does not satisfy the law.
The Emergency Contact Requirement (March 30, 2026 Deadline)
SB 294 includes a second major provision that went into effect on March 30, 2026. Under this requirement, every California employer must allow employees to designate an emergency contact person who should be notified in the event the employee is arrested, detained, or subject to an immigration enforcement action.
This is not just a form in a file cabinet. The California Workplace Know Your Rights Act requires employers to actually contact the designated person if an employee is arrested or detained in connection with a worksite enforcement action. The employer must make reasonable efforts to reach the emergency contact promptly.
The penalties for failing to comply with this requirement are significant: $500 per employee per day of noncompliance. If an employer with 50 workers has not provided the emergency contact designation form by the deadline, there is a potential $25,000 per day in penalties.
Employers cannot retaliate against employees for designating an emergency contact, for choosing not to designate one, or for any reason related to SB 294 compliance. If your employer has discouraged you from filling out the form, pressured you to skip it, or punished you for asking about it, that may constitute illegal retaliation under the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act.
Why This Matters for Immigrant Workers
While the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act applies to every worker in the state, its provisions were designed with immigrant workers in particular in focus. The emergency contact requirement, the immigration inspection disclosure, and the law enforcement rights section all address concerns that have become increasingly urgent for immigrant communities in California.
Under existing California law, all workers have rights regardless of immigration status. You are protected by wage and hour laws, workplace safety laws, and anti-discrimination laws, whether or not you are documented. State agencies like the Labor Commissioner’s Office and Cal/OSHA will not ask about your immigration status when you file a complaint.
SB 294 reinforces these protections by ensuring that workers know their rights before a crisis occurs. In industries with high enforcement activity, including agriculture, construction, restaurants, food processing, and warehousing, the difference between knowing your rights and not knowing them can be the difference between safety and exploitation.
If your employer has not provided you with a workplace rights notice, that silence is not neutral. It means you may be working without knowledge of the protections that exist specifically for you. The California Workplace Know Your Rights Act was passed because too many employers were counting on their workers not knowing what the law requires.
Workers in California also have the right to take action without retaliation. It is illegal for your employer to fire you, reduce your hours, change your schedule, or discriminate against you for exercising any right under SB 294. If your employer threatened you with deportation, termination, or any other consequence for asking about the workplace rights notice or the emergency contact form, that threat itself is a violation of California law.
What If Your Employer Did Not Comply?
If your employer has not given you a workplace rights notice under the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act or has not provided the emergency contact designation form, you have several options.
File a complaint with the Labor Commissioner. The California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) enforces SB 294. You can file a complaint online or in person at your nearest DLSE office. The Labor Commissioner’s Office has staff who speak multiple languages and will not ask about your immigration status. You can reach them at 1-833-526-4636 (1-833-LCO-INFO).
Document the violation. Keep a record of when you started your employment, whether you ever received a notice, and any communications with your employer about the notice or emergency contact form. If your employer retaliated against you for asking, document that as well: save text messages, emails, and notes about conversations.
Consult an employment attorney. SB 294 violations can result in penalties of $500 per employee per day for the emergency contact provision, plus additional penalties for failure to provide the workplace rights notice. If your employer has violated the law on a large scale, affecting dozens or hundreds of workers, it may be appropriate to pursue a broader enforcement action. An employment lawyer can evaluate your situation and explain your options.
Know that retaliation is illegal. If your employer fires you, disciplines you, or takes any adverse action because you asked about SB 294 compliance or filed a complaint, you may have a separate retaliation claim with its own damages and penalties.
Frequently Asked Questions About the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act
Does my employer have to give me this notice in my language?
Yes. The California Workplace Know Your Rights Act requires employers to provide the workplace rights notice in the employee’s primary language. The Labor Commissioner’s Office has published the notice in multiple languages. If your employer only gave you an English version and English is not your primary language, that does not satisfy the law.
What if I am undocumented? Do I still have workplace rights?
Yes. California labor laws protect all workers regardless of immigration status. You have the right to minimum wage, overtime, safe working conditions, freedom from discrimination, and workers’ compensation. State agencies will not ask about your immigration status when you file a complaint. SB 294 was specifically designed to reinforce these protections.
Can my employer fire me for naming an emergency contact?
No. It is illegal for your employer to retaliate against you in any way for designating an emergency contact under SB 294 or for exercising any other right under the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act. If your employer took adverse action against you for this reason, you may have a retaliation claim.
What is the penalty for not providing the workplace rights notice?
Employers who fail to provide the annual workplace rights notice face penalties enforced by the Labor Commissioner. For the emergency contact provision specifically, the penalty is $500 per employee per day of noncompliance. Additional penalties may apply if the employer also retaliated against employees.
Does SB 294 apply to all employers in California?
Yes. The California Workplace Know Your Rights Act applies to all California employers regardless of size. Whether your employer has 5 workers or 5,000, they are required to provide the notice and the emergency contact designation form on the timelines specified by the law.
Bibiyan Law Group Protects Employee Rights
At Bibiyan Law Group, we have a long history of representing California workers, including immigrant and migrant workers who face unique challenges in the workplace. Our attorneys understand the California Workplace Know Your Rights Act inside and out, and we are committed to holding employers accountable when they fail to comply.
If your employer failed to provide the workplace rights notice or refused to let you designate an emergency contact, you may have a claim. Our team handles cases involving employer retaliation, workplace discrimination, wage theft, and violations of employee rights across California.
Contact Bibiyan Law Group for a free consultation. We speak your language, and we fight for your rights. There are no upfront costs. We only get paid when you do.
Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship. Legal results are not guaranteed and vary by case. Bibiyan Law Group P.C. also operates as Tomorrow Law.