By Stacey Sommerhauser, SPHR, PHRca, SHRM-SCP
As the excitement of the holiday season fades and we step into the new year, it’s crucial to take a moment and assess your HR practices to ensure compliance with the latest regulations. Here’s Silvers HR To-Do list for 2025 to help guide your efforts:
- Review your payroll practices and perform a payroll audit. Silvers Wage and Hour Self-Audit (found here) can assist you in getting started.
- Minimum Wage Increase: Verify that all hourly rates have been adjusted to at least $16.50 per hour, effective January 1, 2025, following the state’s minimum wage increase. Keep in mind that some cities may have ordinances requiring even higher rates.
- Exempt Employee Salaries: Confirm that the minimum annual salary for exempt employees has been increased to $68,640, as mandated by California law. Remember, salary may not be offset by commissions, bonuses, or other incentive pay.
- Employee Handbook Updates: Review and update your handbook to reflect changes in company size and ensure compliance with the latest policies, such as the Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation policy, Paid Family Leave Insurance policy, and Acts of Violence policy.
- Harassment Prevention Training: Verify that managers, supervisors, and employees have received the required AB 1825 and SB 1343 harassment prevention training within the last two years.* Schedule training for any employees who have not yet participated or create a plan to retrain all employees to ensure ongoing compliance. Your Silvers HR Consultant can assist you with scheduling in-person training, or you may attend one of our live quarterly webinars. Register here.
- Workplace Violence Prevention: Create or update your Workplace Violence Prevention Plan, violent incident logs, and workplace violence training program, using resources such as the Cal OSHA model plan which can be found here.
- Job Description Updates: Review and update job descriptions to reflect essential duties and state physical requirements accurately.
- Recruiting Practices: Ensure that pay scales are included in job postings (for employers with 15 or more employees) and that driver’s license requirements are excluded (with some exceptions).
- Form I-9 Audits: Conduct an internal audit of your Form I-9s to verify completion and correction according to USCIS guidelines. (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/complete-correct-form-i-9/self-audits-and-correcting-mistakes.)
- Employee Development: Schedule one-on-one meetings with your direct reports to focus on their professional development in 2025. Utilize Silvers HR’s various training options and tools to support these efforts.
Remember that this is not an exhaustive list. You may want a review of your full HR Practices for optimal compliance and to proactively reduce any potential penalties in a PAGA claim. If you require further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Stacey Sommerhauser (stacey@silvershr.com) for guidance. By prioritizing compliance and investing in your employees, you can build a thriving and successful organization in 2025 and beyond.