Workplace Strategies Watercooler 2024: California Lite? Expanding Employee Protections in Activist States

In this podcast recorded at Ogletree Deakins’ national Workplace Strategies seminar, Jennifer Colvin (shareholder, Chicago), David Zwisler (shareholder, Denver), and Larry Shapero (shareholder, Seattle) discuss state law changes and trends expanding employee protections and employer obligations from CROWN Acts, rules regarding lawful off-duty conduct, and pay transparency mandates to prohibitions on noncompetes and NDAs. Jen, David, and Larry start off with a discussion of state laws on protected characteristics that are growing in number and scope across the country. The speakers also examine how states and local governments are expanding protections for historically and newly identified classes of individuals—varying widely by jurisdiction—and what employers need to know.