New law bans California companies from forcing employees to meet on politics, religion or union issues

A couple years ago, Cindy Nguyen, a pharmacist in Orange County, was pulled into several meetings with her boss, her boss’s boss and human resources ahead of a vote on whether to form a union. 

“I felt I cannot say no because they invited me to talk,” Nguyen told CapRadio in an interview. “I didn't know what they were talking about.”

She said the meetings were meant to dissuade her from voting to form a union, and she couldn’t express her own thoughts in them. 

“If I do say it, it'd be an argument, and I don't want to argue with them. They're just here doing their job,” she said.

But starting next year, California employers will no longer be able to force employees into so-called “captive audience” meetings about politics, including unions, or religion. Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday banning these compulsory  meetings. 

The new law, which was supported mostly by unions, prohibits employers from retaliating against employees when they don’t attend a meeting related to religion or politics, including union organizing.

Employers can still speak about those issues, just not in a setting with mandatory attendance. 

“Captive audience meetings disrupt the balance of power by forcing workers to attend meetings unrelated to their jobs, often under threat of retaliation,” Democratic State Senator and bill author Aisha Wahab said in a press release. “This bill ensures employees can focus on their work without coercion, creating a fairer and more respectful environment.”

Dozens of groups officially opposed the bill, including the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Farm Bureau, and many other industry organizations. 

The opposition argued that the law will compromise employers’ first amendment rights. 

The new law goes into effect January 1, 2025.