January 2027 Employer Change Action Kit

Three state employer rules change on 1 January 2027. This kit helps you decide which ones reach your business, assign the work, and keep a record of what was reviewed, who decided and where the evidence is kept.

The three changes

Illinois. A job posting may state that a valid driver's license is required only when driving is both an essential function of the job and a business necessity, and the posting must briefly explain why (Public Act 104-0776; employers with 15 or more employees, and employment agencies).

Connecticut. Paid sick leave reaches employers with one or more Connecticut employees: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year.

California. The state minimum wage becomes $17.40 an hour and the standard minimum exempt salary becomes $72,384 a year. The duties test still applies, and higher local, industry and specialized exemption thresholds may apply.

What the workbook does

• Applicability. Eleven questions. The applicability worksheet uses Applies, Does not apply and Check. When an unanswered question is necessary to make a decision, the result shows Check rather than treating the missing answer as No.
• Illinois. A posting review for up to 200 postings that records the license decision, the final posting wording and where the posting is published.
• Connecticut. A policy decisions tab that turns your choices into a starting policy draft, and an accrual worksheet that starts from your own 365 day paid sick leave year.
• California. A salary review for up to 200 employees that flags standard exempt salaries below $72,384 and hourly pay below the applicable rate you enter. It shows a wage result only after you enter the applicable hourly minimum wage with its official source and effective date.
• Every state. An action checklist with owner, due date, status and evidence. A step counts as done only when the evidence location is recorded.

Files

• January 2027 Employer Change Tracker (Excel, 10 tabs)
• January 2027 Employer Change Guide (PDF, 8 pages): what changes, who it reaches, worked examples, a seven week plan and every source
• Using This Workbook in Google Sheets (PDF)
• TrueStep HR Product License (PDF). This purchase includes the Standard License.

The preview images show completed examples and calculated review flags. The workbook includes editable input cells so you can replace the sample entries with your own information.

Who it is built for

Built for

• An owner, manager or HR lead with employees or job postings in Illinois, Connecticut or California who needs to decide which of the three changes reach the business.
• A lean HR team that wants one record of what was reviewed, who decided and where the evidence is kept.
• A multistate employer assigning an owner and due date to each change and tracking every step through completion.

If you are looking for

• For pay range rules in job postings across many states, see the US State Pay Transparency Pack.
• For a review of I-9 records and wage and hour practices, see the I-9 and Wage-Hour Audit Kit.

Before you buy

What format are the files and can I edit them?

The tracker is a Microsoft Excel workbook with editable input cells. The guide, the Google Sheets guide and the license are PDFs. The workbook also opens in Google Sheets, and the included guide explains how.

Do the changes reach my business?

The Applicability tab uses eleven questions about your business to show which state changes may apply. It shows Check when a needed answer is missing. Confirm each result against the official sources listed in the guide.

What if the rules change after I buy?

Each file shows the date it was researched, 8 November 2026. Rules can change, so confirm each one at the official source linked in the guide before you act.

What is the refund policy?

Digital products are covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee. To request a refund, email support@truestephr.com or reply to your receipt within 30 days of purchase.

What happens after I buy?

Your download link appears immediately after checkout. Your receipt arrives by email with the same link. Open the guide first, then the Start Here tab of the workbook. For setup questions, email support@truestephr.com.

How the download works

Your files arrive as a single ZIP download, best opened on a computer. Save it, extract it (right-click and select Extract All on Windows, or double-click on a Mac), then open the January 2027 Employer Change Guide first. PDFs open in any reader, and the workbook works in Microsoft Excel or free equivalents, including LibreOffice and Google Sheets. No other software is needed. Step-by-step help for every device is at truestephr.com/pages/download-help.

Scope

This kit covers three selected January 2027 changes. The worksheets help organize reviews and identify items requiring attention. They do not determine legal compliance, classify employees or calculate every applicable wage and leave requirement. Review the official sources and confirm decisions for your business. Researched 8 November 2026. Rules can change, and the kit is general information, not legal advice.

See a completed example and our free summary of the three changes: January 2027 employer changes.