Bill > AB1331

This bill establishes new regulations for workplace surveillance in California, creating comprehensive protections for workers against invasive monitoring practices. The legislation defines workplace surveillance tools broadly as any system or device that can collect data about workers' activities, communications, or behaviors without direct human observation, and prohibits employers from using such tools in certain private areas like bathrooms, locker rooms, changing areas, and lactation spaces. Workers will have the right to leave behind surveillance devices in these areas and during off-duty hours, with some exceptions for communication needs or safety requirements. The bill mandates that employers provide advance notice of surveillance on multi-employer job sites and prohibits the use of generative AI in video surveillance of break rooms. Employers are barred from requiring workers to physically implant data-collecting devices and cannot use audio surveillance in employee-only areas. Violations of these provisions can result in civil penalties of $500 per occurrence, and enforcement can be pursued by the Labor Commissioner or public prosecutors. The law does not apply to employers working in national security, military, space, defense, or certain law enforcement contexts, and it allows local jurisdictions to implement even stronger worker protections. The bill aims to balance workplace safety and operational needs with workers' privacy rights, ensuring transparency and consent in surveillance practices.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice, Labor and Employment

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1331