California employers must remain vigilant in complying with workplace posting requirements enforced by the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). These obligations require employers to post current wage, hour, and working-condition information in areas where employees can easily review the materials during the workday.

Wage Orders, issued by the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC), govern wages, hours, and working conditions across specific industries and occupations. Employers are required to post the Wage Order—or Wage Orders—that apply to their workforce and ensure that the posted versions reflect the most current updates. The DIR maintains the official Wage Orders on its website, available here: https://www.dir.ca.gov/iwc/wageorderindustries.htm.

The updated Minimum Wage Order, MW-2026, is now available. In addition to statewide minimum wage requirements, California law continues to impose industry-specific wage supplements, including those applicable to fast food restaurant employees and health care workers, which remain in effect based on their respective implementation dates. Current minimum wage information and related orders may be accessed through the DIR’s minimum wage page: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/minimum_wage.htm.

Employers should take this opportunity to review their posted Wage Orders and confirm that all required materials are current and applicable to their operations. To determine which Wage Order or Orders apply to a particular business, employers may consult the DIR’s guidance on selecting the appropriate Wage Order: https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/whichiwcorderclassifications.pdf.

Employers with questions regarding Wage Order compliance, posting obligations, or related California employment law issues should consider consulting experienced employment counsel.

This update to the Wage Orders and related issues will be discussed in more detail during our January 13 webinar “2026 Employment Law Update for California Employers” (click here to sign up on our website events page).