Four employment law updates and compliance deadlines affected employers in California, parts of New Mexico, Ohio, and Washington in March 2026. Here’s a quick summary of each update and the related employee handbook policy that might be affected.
California: Workplace Know Your Rights Act emergency-contact deadline
Deadline to provide the opportunity to existing employees: March 30, 2026
Under the California law known as the Workplace Know Your Rights Act, employers were required to provide existing employees with the opportunity to designate an emergency contact by March 30, 2026, and to provide that opportunity to employees hired after March 30 at the time of hire. Employees must also have the opportunity to indicate whether they would like their designated emergency contact notified if they are arrested or detained. California Department of Industrial Relations
If an employee has made an emergency contact designation and indicated that they would like their emergency contact notified in the event of an arrest or detention, the employer is required to notify the emergency contact when the employee is arrested or detained at work or, in some instances, off-site during working hours if the employer has actual knowledge of the arrest or detention.
Action item: If you are a California employer, consider revising your emergency contact procedures and employee handbook policies, as well as any new hire paperwork, to reflect this law. Keep in mind that employers must provide employees with the opportunity to designate an emergency contact; they are not required to mandate that all employees provide one.
See all California employee handbook requirements.
New Mexico: Santa Fe minimum wage increase
Effective date: March 1, 2026
Beginning March 1, 2026, the minimum wage for employees working in the City of Santa Fe and unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County increased to $15.40/hour. City of Santa Fe’s 2026 wage notice, Santa Fe County’s wage requirements
Action item: If you’re an employer with employees in the City of Santa Fe or in unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County, make sure that you’re in compliance with the increased local minimum wage.
See all New Mexico employee handbook requirements.
Ohio: E-Verify requirements for nonresidential construction employers
Effective date: March 20, 2026
Beginning March 20, 2026, covered nonresidential construction contractors, subcontractors, and labor brokers became subject to E-Verify employment eligibility verification requirements under House Bill 246. Ohio Revised Code, Chapter 4151
Action item: If you’re a covered employer in the nonresidential construction industry in Ohio or a covered labor broker, review your employment eligibility verification procedures to reflect HB 246’s E-Verify requirements.
See all Ohio employee handbook requirements.
Washington: Rules addressing immigration-related workplace coercion
Effective date: March 6, 2026
On March 6, 2026, Washington state permanent rules went into effect implementing protections against immigration-related workplace coercion. The underlying prohibition took effect July 1, 2025; the March rules clarified definitions, enforcement procedures, and penalties. Washington’s permanent rule filing
Action item: If you have employees in Washington state, consider revising any employee handbook policies pertaining to reporting workplace concerns and/or anti-retaliation to reflect these worker protections.
See all Washington employee handbook requirements.
Employee handbook policies and procedures to review
Depending on which of these laws applies to your business, you may want to consider taking the following actions:
- Review your employee handbook policies pertaining to new employee onboarding, pay, employment eligibility verification, reporting workplace concerns, and anti-retaliation to determine if any changes are necessary as a result of these employment law updates.
- If any of your employee handbook policies include specific dollar amounts, such as your company’s minimum wage, double-check to make sure the amounts in your handbook are still accurate.
- If applicable, make sure that you’re paying employees who work in the City of Santa Fe or in unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County in compliance with the increased local minimum wage. The general minimum wage is $15.40/hour, with tipped base wages of $3/hour in the City of Santa Fe and $4.62/hour in unincorporated areas of Santa Fe County. Employers utilizing a tip credit must comply with all requirements to do so and make sure tipped employees are earning at least the applicable minimum wage overall. Santa Fe County’s wage requirements, City of Santa Fe’s wage announcement
- If applicable, make sure that covered nonresidential construction contractors, subcontractors, and labor brokers in Ohio are complying with HB 246, including:
- Using E-Verify as required, with a limited exception for employees previously verified when federal law does not require verification or reverification.
- Not continuing to employ an individual after receiving an E-Verify final nonconfirmation.
- Retaining verification records for three years after the individual’s date of hire or one year after the end of the individual’s employment, whichever is later. Ohio’s verification requirements
- Knowing the difference between a final nonconfirmation and a tentative nonconfirmation, also known as a mismatch. Employers may not take adverse action because an employee is resolving a mismatch while the E-Verify case remains pending. U.S. Department of Justice guidance
- If applicable, make sure that California employers provided existing employees with the opportunity to designate an emergency contact and are offering that opportunity to new hires. Employees handling these procedures should know whom to notify within your company if an employee is arrested or detained so that the designated emergency contact can be notified as required by law.
- Review your policies and procedures relating to workplace complaints and anti-retaliation and consider training managers/supervisors on Washington state’s prohibition against immigration-related coercion. This includes explicit or implicit statements or threats regarding an employee’s or their family member’s actual or perceived immigration status to deter the employee from exercising rights protected under the applicable wage and labor laws. Washington’s permanent rule filing
- If you make changes to your employee handbook, distribute the updated handbook or an addendum to affected employees, provide any necessary training/explanation of significant changes, and document distribution/employee acknowledgment when applicable.
Employer checklist for March 2026
Depending on where your employees perform work, including remote work, you may want to consider taking the following actions:
- California: Make sure existing employees had the opportunity to designate an emergency contact and add the opportunity to new hire paperwork, if needed.
- New Mexico (Santa Fe): Verify Santa Fe County/City minimum wage rates, including tipped base wage requirements, and make sure all required notices are being posted.
- Ohio: If applicable, verify that covered nonresidential construction contractors, subcontractors, and labor brokers are complying with HB 246.
- Washington: Consider training managers/supervisors on the prohibition against immigration-related coercion.
While some of these changes may warrant an employee handbook policy revision, others may call for changes in the back office, such as making adjustments in your payroll system or posting new or updated wage notices.
What to do next
Employer action step: Determine which of the above changes may be applicable to your organization, keeping in mind where employees perform work, including remote employees. Take appropriate action, such as updating your employee handbook, payroll system, and new hire paperwork as applicable.
Handbooks.io’s employee handbook software makes it easy to create, customize, and share your employee handbook. Annual Handbooks.io plans include access to ongoing policy updates, live sharing of your employee handbook, and employee e-signatures for handbook acknowledgments.
Stay on top of state and federal employment law changes with our employment law updates. Check out our latest updates to see what changes employers need to be aware of.
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Frequently asked questions
What employment law updates should employers be aware of in March 2026?
Employers should review this March 2026 roundup for deadlines and updates, including Washington state’s rules implementing the prohibition against immigration-related coercion, minimum wage increases in Santa Fe, New Mexico, E-Verify requirements impacting covered Ohio construction businesses, and California’s deadline for employers to offer employees the opportunity to designate an emergency contact.
Note: Some of the above-mentioned updates are compliance deadlines or rules implementing existing laws. Deadlines and effective dates are summarized in the relevant section above.
Santa Fe’s minimum wage increased to $15.40/hour. Does this mean New Mexico’s statewide minimum wage increased to $15.40/hour as of March 1, 2026?
No. The March 1, 2026 increase applies under the City of Santa Fe’s and unincorporated Santa Fe County’s minimum wage ordinances. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the minimum wage ordinance(s) applicable to where your employees perform work.
How often should I update my employee handbook?
At a minimum, we recommend reviewing your employee handbook annually for necessary changes and additions. It is also a good idea to review potentially impacted handbook policies any time your business or employment laws change.
Monthly employment law updates, like the one above, can serve as a jumping-off point to determine which updates may be applicable to your organization. Consider whether your employee handbook, payroll practices, and new hire paperwork need to be adjusted.
(This summary is general information, not legal advice. Laws may be amended or delayed, so confirm requirements with the official sources linked above or your employment attorney.)