A new law that takes effect in July 2015 requires nearly every employer in California to allow all of its employees at least 3 paid sick days each year. California is the only state other than Connecticut to have a sick-leave mandate on its books. The new law stipulates that employees receive an hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Caring for themselves or family members can be the reasons for taking the sick leave. We recommend to review your current sick leave policies and make sure you meet the minimum requirements of this new law. The recently adopted law has the following provisions:

  • The employer can limit employees to using no more than 3 days a year.
  • An employer can allocate 24 hours (three days) of paid sick leave at the beginning of the year instead of using an accrual method. With this approach, no accrual or carry over to the next year is required. With the accrual method, an employer is required to carry over unused days to the following year.
  • Employees who work more than 30 days per year (part-time and temporary) are eligible.
  • Employers must provide each employee with written notice of the amount of sick leave available. This information should be included on the wage statement.
  • The law also expands the use of sick leave to care for family members, including grandparents, grandchildren and siblings, which most sick leave policies exclude expanded family members.

About 40% of California’s workforce — an estimated 6.5 million people — have no paid sick leave benefits at all.

Employers would be required to display posters telling employees of their right to paid sick days and informing them that retaliation for requesting or using paid sick days is illegal. Employers could face fines of up to $4,000 per day for withholding paid sick leave or violating the bill’s requirements.

Reference:  http://www.sfgate.com/business/networth/article/California-s-new-sick-leave-law-explained-5755162.php http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/10/california-sick-leave_n_5799366.html http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-brown-paid-sick-leave-20140911-story.html

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