Deirdre Hudson

🚨 California Employers… 2026 Is Coming in HOT! 🔥 If you thought last year’s labor law updates were a lot… 2026 said “hold my coffee.” ☕😅 New rules. New requirements. New headaches. And yes — California is absolutely keeping HR teams on their toes again. But don’t panic (yet). Because we built something to keep you three steps ahead instead of three compliance notices behind: 🎉 The 2026 California Labor Law Update Cheat Sheet 🎉 Super simple. Super clear. No legal jargon. Just everything you need to not accidentally break a law before breakfast.

4

Proud to partner with Siskind Susser, P.C.- Immigration Lawyers and to recognize the impactful work of Elissa Taub in supporting healthcare employers and IMGs during an increasingly complex and challenging time for immigrants. Employers benefit from the diverse perspectives and skills #IMGs bring to patient care and the communities they serve, and trusted partnerships like this help organizations navigate uncertainty while remaining compliant and competitive. Learn more about Siskind Susser here: https://lnkd.in/egug4R6K #RecruitHireHeal #HealthcareWorkforce

13

Firms have become more selective this year..... BUT attorneys who genuinely understand California employment law remain in demand. The data driving those decisions is clear. Wage-and-hour and PAGA filings in California continue to sit well above pre-pandemic levels. Expanded pay transparency requirements, broader anti-retaliation protections, and evolving arbitration standards have all increased regulatory exposure and litigation risk. The work hasn’t disappeared. What has changed is tolerance for training. Firms are prioritizing experienced laterals who can step directly into active matters with minimal ramp-up. As a result, many employment defense roles are filled quietly (through referrals, targeted outreach, and recruiter conversations) way before anything is posted publicly. For associates, this reality shifts the equation. Timing matters. Positioning matters more than sending resumes broadly. The real advantage comes from aligning your experience with what firms actually need right now. I work with California firms navigating these pressures and selectively adding employment defense talent. If you want a clearer view of where you stand in this market, I’m always open to a discreet conversation.

9

If you’re advising California employers in 2026 and PAGA isn’t at the top of your risk agenda, you’re not managing risk — you’re managing optics. The filings aren’t slowing, the standards are tightening, and “reasonable steps” now means documented audits, supervisor discipline, payroll validation, corrective action, and proof that compliance lives in practice — not in a binder. Telling clients they’re “probably fine” because they have policies is malpractice in slow motion. Consultants, brokers, and advisory firms who fail to push proactive, documented wage-hour compliance frameworks are leaving their clients exposed to compounding penalties that can now be partially capped — but only if real systems are in place before the notice hits. Risk mitigation is no longer theoretical; it’s operational. If you’re not steering clients toward measurable, defensible compliance infrastructure that reduces PAGA penalty exposure, someone else will — and they’ll do it at your client’s expense.

6

Data from our associate placements across California over the past 12 months 📈... These insights provide a snapshot of what associates can expect from Am Law 100 recruitment processes. Key insights include: • Average process length of 25 days from interview to offer • 80% of candidates received offers after two interview rounds • 53% of candidates secured signing bonuses • 36% of candidates relocated Firms are running well-structured processes and making deliberate investments in associate talent. For more personalised market insight and career advice, you can reach us here: https://lnkd.in/eXx8h57J

4

I had the best time presenting at the Los Angeles Area Legal Recruitment Association's Education Conference on behalf of VOYlegal! My topic? "Behind the Curtain: What Candidates Tell Us (But Not You, Firms)" Some highlights: - Saying “we have no update” is better than saying nothing at all. It can mean the difference between keeping a candidate interested and turning them off. - Rescheduling repeatedly hurts. Candidates will think you don’t value their time, and they’ll start questioning how things run internally. - Avoid boilerplate rejections. If someone invests hours in your process, they’ll find it very cold to end things with a canned rejection. - Schedule interviews with a mix of folks. If you don’t field a diverse group of interviewers, candidates will assume that you can’t—or worse, won’t. Thanks again to LAALRA for the great event and the chance to present on this important topic. Very grateful to Montse Zepeda and VOYlegal for their support, as well. Looking forward to more opportunities to share insights!

34

2 Comments