California leads the way for employee rights on everything from taking breaks to saving for retirement, and now it’s keeping workers aware of their legal rights. In early 2026, California promptly passed a new law known as the Know Your Rights Act. Under SB294, employers must now distribute this notice to all workers, and soon, there will be a requirement to collect emergency contact information. Here’s what the notice says and what steps you need to take to stay compliant.
| Our HR Experts’ Advice – Share the California Know Your Rights notice with all employees starting February 1, 2026 and update emergency contact info by March 30, 2026. – This mandatory notice includes information about workers’ compensation, immigration, and law enforcement interactions, regardless of immigration status. – Aside from keeping your practice compliant, this notice can protect employees and help them feel safer during a time of uncertainty. |
What Does the California Know Your Rights Notice Cover?
The Know Your Rights notice is a review of workplace and constitutional rights that employees in California are entitled to know and exercise. Importantly, it informs employees that labor laws apply to workers regardless of immigration status. The notice covers:
- Workers’ protection from retaliation. Workers are legally able to file complaints, ask employers about compliance, and talk with others about their rights.
- Immigration-related protections. Workers have a right to be notified of upcoming I-9 inspections, they are protected against unfair immigration-related practices, and they have a right to designate an emergency contact.
- The right to organize. Most California employees have a right to organize, join, or participate in union activities.
- Constitutional rights during law enforcement interactions. If law enforcement officers (including immigration agents) interact with workers at their workplace, California workers have rights and protections.
- Worker’s compensation. Workers have the right to access workers’ compensation benefits or medical benefits if they experience a work-related injury or illness.
The California Know Your Rights notice reminds employees about rights under the U.S. Constitution, including the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney, and the right to record interactions with law enforcement in public spaces. The notice provides general guidance on exercising these rights legally, and includes contact information if employees feel that these rights are being violated.
SB294 also creates new obligations for employers to allow employees to designate emergency contacts in case they are detained or arrested while at work.
What Are Employers Required to Do?
Effective February 1, 2026, all California employers must provide a stand-alone Know Your Rights notice under Senate Bill 294. This notice must be distributed to all employees every year. Currently, the notice is available in English and Spanish, and more languages will be available soon.
By March 30, 2026, California employers will also need to provide employees the opportunity to name emergency contacts and indicate whether the emergency contact should be notified if the employee is arrested or detained while at work.
The penalties for violating the California Know Your Rights notice are steep: up to $500 per employee. Violating the requirement to notify an emergency contact can result in an additional penalty of up to $500 per day per employee, up to $10,000 per employee.
If you don’t have employees in the state of California, these laws and penalties do not apply to you.
What Does This Mean for Health and Dental Practices?
The California Know Your Rights Act exists to support employees in a time of uncertainty. The rights outlined in this notice aren’t new, and other than the requirement to distribute the document, it doesn’t really change anything for your practice. It just keeps you compliant with new and ever-changing laws while helping employees feel safer at work and more knowledgeable about their rights.
How HR for Health Can Help
If your practice is already using HR for Health, you’re ready to go. We already added the Know Your Rights notice to your new hire checklist if you have employees in California, and the emergency contact information document is coming soon. If you have any questions, you can always contact our HR specialists to learn more. Need help finding these documents in your HR for Health portal? Harvey can point you in the right direction.
Not using HR for Health yet? You’re missing out on a lot of goodies, including automatic document updates and no-fuss legal compliance. Get a demo to see what less risk looks like.
