Bill > SB00472

This bill, effective October 1, 2026, requires employers to provide written notice to employees about the types of electronic monitoring they may conduct and the specific locations on the employer's premises where this monitoring will occur, with this notice also needing to be posted in a conspicuous place. Employers must also give new hires a plain language statement explaining which prohibited activities might be monitored without prior notice. However, employers can conduct electronic monitoring without prior notice if they have reasonable grounds to believe employees are engaged in illegal conduct, violating legal rights, or creating a hostile work environment, and the monitoring could provide evidence of this misconduct. This requirement to disclose specific monitoring locations does not apply to airports. The bill defines "employer" as any entity with employees, "employee" as someone performing services under an employer's control, and "electronic monitoring" as collecting information about employee activities or communications through electronic means, excluding security monitoring in public areas or information already prohibited by law. The Labor Commissioner can issue civil penalties for violations, with fines increasing for repeat offenses, and the bill clarifies that these provisions do not apply to criminal investigations, though information gathered during such investigations can be used in employee disciplinary actions.