My question involves a background check in the State of: CA
I have been working for my current employer since graduating from college. It has been about five years since graduating from college and I have no other work experience prior to that. I recently decided to apply to graduate school for a program unrelated to my current job but I am hesitant to provide graduate schools with references from my current employer in case I do not get accepted to any schools I apply for, I would still have a job to go back to. Are there any laws or regulations that prevents or controls graduate schools from requesting references from an applicant's current employer? I have heard that there are laws restricting employers from contacting a job applicant's current employer. Are there laws that can protect individuals in similiar positions as me?

