California’s new Wage Theft Protection Act, which took effect Jan. 1, 2012, requires employers (except the government) to provide written notice of certain information to every newly-hired non-exempt employee excluding those covered by union contracts that meet certain criteria. In compliance with the act, on Dec. 29, 2011, the Labor Commissioner published a template implementing this new law. The template is available on-line at:

• http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/LC_2810.5_Notice.pdf (PDF version)

• http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/LC_2810.5_Notice.doc (Microsoft Word version)

Note: The Labor Commissioner’s template specifies several new pieces of information not expressly stated in the Act, but which the Labor Commissioner apparently considers “material and necessary.” Presumably, employers will be expected to include this additional information in the notice.