AB-858 • 2026

Employment: rehiring and retention: displaced workers.

Labor

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Lee
Last action: 2025-10-03
Official status: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 280, Statutes of 2025.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about what happens if an employer fails to follow these rules or how long employers must keep offering job information and hiring preferences after January 1, 2027.

Helping Workers Get Back Jobs

AB-858 extends rules that require employers to give laid-off workers job information and hiring preferences until January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

Extends the current law requiring employers to offer job information and hiring preferences to laid-off employees until January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

Employers who have laid off workers since March 4, 2020.
Laid-off employees who were with an employer for at least six months before losing their jobs due to reasons linked to the pandemic.

Terms To Know

laid-off employee: An employee who was employed by a company for at least six months and lost their job on or after March 4, 2020, due to reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if an employer fails to follow these rules.
It is unclear how long employers must keep offering job information and hiring preferences after January 1, 2027.

Bill History

2025-10-03 California Legislative Information
Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 280, Statutes of 2025.
2025-10-03 California Legislative Information
Approved by the Governor.
2025-09-23 California Legislative Information
Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
2025-09-11 California Legislative Information
Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 49. Noes 19. Page 3304.).
2025-09-10 California Legislative Information
In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
2025-09-10 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 29. Noes 10. Page 2808.).
2025-09-02 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.
2025-08-29 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 5. Noes 2.) (August 29).
2025-08-18 California Legislative Information
In committee: Referred to suspense file.
2025-07-09 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) (July 9). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-06-26 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
2025-06-18 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on L., P.E. & R.
2025-06-04 California Legislative Information
In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.
2025-06-03 California Legislative Information
Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 52. Noes 19. Page 2023.)
2025-05-27 California Legislative Information
Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 11. Noes 3.) (May 23).
2025-05-07 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-24 California Legislative Information
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (April 23). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-04-08 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on L. & E.
2025-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on L. & E. Read second time and amended.
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on L. & E.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 858, Lee.
Employment: rehiring and retention: displaced workers.
Existing law, until December 31, 2025, requires an employer, as defined, to offer its laid-off employees specified information about job positions that become available for which the laid-off employees are qualified, and to offer positions to those laid-off employees based on a preference system, in accordance with specified timelines and procedures. Existing law, until December 31, 2025, also prohibits an employer from refusing to employ, terminating, reducing compensation, or taking other adverse action against a laid-off employee for seeking to enforce their rights under these provisions. These provisions are enforced by the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, as prescribed.
Existing law defines “laid-off employee” for these purposes to mean an employee who was employed by the employer for 6 months or more and whose most recent separation
from active employment by the employer occurred on or after March 4, 2020, and was due to a reason related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a public health directive or reduction in force, among other reasons. Existing law also creates a presumption that a separation due to a lack of business, reduction in force, or other economic, nondisciplinary reason is due to a reason related to the COVID-19 pandemic, unless the employer establishes otherwise by a preponderance of the evidence.
This bill would extend operation of these provisions until January 1, 2027, except as specified.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF