Attorney General Bonta Publishes Sixth Annual Labor Day Report Spotlighting a Year of Protecting and Empowering Workers

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the sixth annual Labor Day Report highlighting the California Department of Justice (DOJ)’s ongoing commitment to protecting and enhancing the rights of workers in California and nationwide. 

“Labor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the countless workforces whose dedication, tenacity, and passion allow businesses and communities to grow and thrive in California and beyond,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This Labor Day, I reaffirm my commitment to upholding our state’s strong legal protections for workers and ensuring all workers receive the fair treatment and compensation they deserve. We will continue to hold bad actors accountable for policies and practices that undermine workers’ rights and unlawfully constrain the job market. We will work hard to ensure everyone’s hard work remains protected, respected, and rewarded.” 

This Labor Day — and every day — Attorney General Bonta honors and fights to protect the hard-working individuals who form the backbone of our nation’s strength and prosperity. California is proud to have the largest and most diverse economy of any state in the country, which would not be possible without the skilled and steadfast efforts of California’s workforce. California has enacted and continues to safeguard some of the most expansive worker protection laws in the nation. California will continue to serve as a pioneer and an example that a state can respect its workers while maintaining a flourishing economy. 

This year’s Labor Day Report highlights DOJ’s accomplishments and ongoing efforts over the past year to empower workers and uphold labor laws in California and across the country. Among other efforts, DOJ has opposed anti-worker, anticompetitive corporate mergers; supported fair treatment for immigrant workers; pushed back against “no-poach” agreements; and challenged the Trump Administration’s attempts to undermine the rights of federal employees and farmworkers. 

11 Things Workers Should Know About Their Rights:

1. You have the right to organize and join a union.
2. You may be an employee even if you are called an independent contractor.
3. You have several, important wage-and-hour-rights, including the right to a minimum wage.
4. Your wages, tips, and accrued vacation are yours.
5. You may be entitled to time off — including parental leave, both paid and unpaid.
6. You are protected from sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace, by California law.
7. You may be eligible for unemployment insurance if you are fired or quit your job for good cause.
8. You may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.
9. You can reasonably refuse to do unsafe work.
10. Your employer cannot retaliate against you for exercising your rights.
11. You have rights as a worker regardless of immigration status.