10 key workplace rights that every worker in California should know

California Attorney General Rob Bonta  has issued the annual Labor Day Report. FILE PHOTO  (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta has issued the annual Labor Day Report highlighting the ongoing efforts of the Department of Justice to empower workers.

The report, released ahead of Labor Day on Sept. 2, includes a consumer alert providing resources and information to educate the public about labor trafficking.

Bonta said he was inspired by watching his parents fight for better working conditions and fair wages for Filipino and Latino farmworkers, alongside labor leaders like Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, Philip Vera Cruz and Cesar Chavez.

“Today I am honored to continue the fight for justice in the workplace on behalf of the people of California,” said the Filipino American attorney general.

“My office is proud to support workers this Labor Day and all year round. From holding accountable labor-law violators and cracking down on unfair competition, to combatting labor trafficking and fighting for stronger protections in the workplace — I will continue to fight for the millions of workers who are the backbone of California.”

University of California, Santa Cruz graduate students and other academic workers in the UAW 4811 union begin a strike and picket the main entrance to campus on Monday, May 20, 2024, in Santa Cruz, Calif. (Shmuel Thaler/The Santa Cruz Sentinel via AP)

As part of the report, Bonta is highlighting 10 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 a 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 paid 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.

If you believe any of the above rights may have been violated, the report has additional information on how to get help. A copy of the 2024 Labor Day Report is available here.