CDF Partner Tashayla “Shay” Billington Quoted in Capital & Main on California’s Groundbreaking Worker Protections Bill

CDF Labor Law LLP Partner Tashayla “Shay” Billington was recently quoted in Capital & Main’s October 9, 2025 column, “State of Inequality: California Joins New York in Trying to Fill a Void on Worker Protections.”

The article discusses Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 288, which aims to let California step in when the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is unable to act — effectively allowing the state to handle certain workplace complaints traditionally overseen by the federal agency.

Shay, who represents employers in labor and employment matters, noted that the new law treads into legally complex territory:

“The California measure raises serious constitutional questions,” said Billington. “When federal law covers a particular area, it overrides or preempts state law in that same area. States generally can’t pass or enforce laws that conflict with federal statutes or intrude into areas Congress intended to regulate exclusively — like private sector labor relations under the NLRA.”

Shay also emphasized that if upheld, AB 288 “could fundamentally reshape the balance of labor-management power in California,” creating one of the most union-friendly environments in the country.

Read the full article here: Capital & Main: California Joins New York in Trying to Fill a Void on Worker Protections