SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — It is a few weeks out from the end of the year, meaning a whole slate of new laws are soon to go into effect. A number of these regulations readied to be put into action on Jan. 1 will be making big changes to the workplace, spanning everything from family leave and benefits to what employers can ask from potential hires in their job postings. Palm Springs approves reparations settlement with displaced families of color Here are some of the alterations California workers can expect when 2025 rolls around. Minimum wage While California voters narrowly shot down a proposition raising the state's minimum wage, the baseline pay is still due for a bump at the start of the year. That is thanks to a 2016 law signed by then-Gov. Jerry Brown, which kickstarted the state's trek up to a $15 minimum wage. Once $15 was hit in 2022, the law required additional adjustments to the base pay each year for inflation, using the national consumer price index as a benchmark. Although each boost is capped at 3.5% year-over-year. At the start of 2024, statewide minimum wage was set at $16 per hour for most workers. Next year, it is expected to increase to $16.50, according to the labor law firm CDF. However, this change will likely not reach every worker: Those in industries with other minimum wage standards under state law, like health care and fast-food, or areas where local officials have enacted their own minimum wage higher than the state's will not be impacted by the raise. For those looking to find out what cities and counties have minimum pay higher than the state, UC Berkeley's Labor Center has a list available on its website. Sick leave expansion At the start of next year, employees will be able to use their sick leave to help care for family members who were victim to a violent crime or threat of violence. Assembly Bill 2499, which was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, specifically removes provisions limiting existing protections for crime-related sick leave to those who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Depending on the circumstances, victims of violent crime — or those who had a family member experience a violent crime — can receive up to 12 weeks of leave to make arrangements for their safety, such as finding housing or attending to medical needs. It does not apply to time taken off to participate in court proceedings. In certain cases where the victim is not the employee but a family member and they did not die as a result of the crime, employers can cap leave anywhere from five to 10 days. California homeowners can save money on energy bills thanks to new rebate program Paid family leave benefits Starting Jan. 1, a few changes to California's paid family leave benefits will be taking effect. One of the biggest alterations will be an increase in the amount of money certain workers can receive while on leave to care for a new child or sick family member. Currently, most workers are able to get 60% of their income replaced using the benefit, while some extremely low-income workers are able to get 70%. But starting in January, those who make $60,000 a year or below will be able to get 90%, representing a roughly 30% increase in leave payments. Those making above $60,000 will be able to get 70% wage replacement, up 10%. As it takes effect in 2025, those who apply for the program during the last few months of the year will not be able to get the higher payout. This change stems from legislation passed by lawmakers in 2022, Senate Bill 951, after a report from the California Budget & Policy Center flagged issues of inequity in who was actually able to take advantage of the benefits. The report found people making between $80,000 to $100,000 used the leave at nearly four times the rate of those earning less than $20,000, in part because of the financial risk with losing a significant chunk of their income. Another big change on the horizon for paid family leave comes from legislation passed earlier this year that also sought to make the benefits more accessible. Assembly Bill 2123 would remove a provision from the state's original paid family leave law that allows employers to require employees to use up to two weeks of paid vacation time to care for their family member before accessing the benefits. Legal Aid at Work, who supported the legislation, argued by removing this provision it will simplify the paid family leave process and allow people to begin receiving benefits "when they become eligible." Prop. 6: California voters reject forced prison labor ban Captive audience meetings Beginning next year, companies in California will be barred from holding mandatory employee meetings known as "captive audience meetings." These are considered required meetings where the employer tries to impart their opinions on political or religious topics, including unionization. The legislation making these changes, Senate Bill 399, also protects workers from retaliation or loss of pay if they chose to clock in, but not attend a meeting sponsored by their employer with the intent to communicate these views. The law provides exemptions for organizations where these topics are a central part of their work, such as religious entities, political organizations or nonprofits that require community service field work that might have crossover with either topic. Educational institutions who require its employees to attend lectures on political or religious matters or employers with trainings on civil rights and occupational safety laws are also exempt from the "captive audience meeting" regulation. Supporters of the SB 399 argued this will minimize intimidation of workers, whether it be with the intent to quell unionization or boost support for a particular political candidate. Opponents, however, contended the law was overly broad and threatens the free speech of the employer. Other states have enacted similar measures, including Oregon, Maine, Connecticut, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, Vermont and New York. Legal challenges raised by employers are underway in some of these states. The National Labor Relations Board has also ruled these kinds of meetings can violate federal law, most recently in a case tied to Amazon workers' efforts to unionize in which the company was accused of mandating meetings on unions to dissuade workers from organizing. Gov. Gavin Newsom to visit California counties that voted for Trump Job postings and drivers' licenses Employers will soon have restrictions on when they can require drivers' licenses or ownership of a vehicle as part of their hiring process under a new law that will be taking effect on Jan. 1. Senate Bill 1100 would limit employers from asking for their potential employees to have a drivers' license unless they can "reasonably expect" the duties of the position would require driving. The law also allows employers to ask for a drivers' license if using an alternative form of transportation, such as biking or public transit, would not be comparable in travel time or cost for the employee to carry out their duties. Supporters argued the bill will limit discrimination against people based on their socioeconomic status or those with disabilities. The legislature did not record any opposition to the measure.