Sweeping bill rewriting California employment law sent to Gov. Newsom
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California lawmakers rewrote the rules of employment across a wide swath of industries Wednesday in legislation that could grant hundreds of thousands of workers new job benefits and pay guarantees.
After vigorous debates over what occupations should be exempted, Assembly Bill 5, which curbs businesses' use of independent contractors, gained final approval in the state Senate and the Assembly and was sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has pledged his support.
The 6,700-word bill is one of the most controversial of the year. It could upend the relationship between workers and bosses across businesses as varied as ride-hailing tech giants, construction, health care, trucking, janitorial services, nail salons, adult entertainment, commercial fishing and newspapers.
The message of the legislation, said its author, Democratic
