Last week Governor Newsom signed SB 616, which expands existing sick leave for employees in California. The new law’s modifications will apply to almost all employees who work in California for 30 days or more in a year and will go into effect January 1, 2024.
The new law will expand existing sick leave by:
- Increasing the annual amount of PSL an employee is entitled to under either the frontload or accrual method from 24 hours or three days to 40 hours or five days.
- For employers who utilize an accrual model, increasing the number of PSL hours owed to 40 hours by their 200th day of employment, in addition to accruing at least 24 hours of PSL by their 120th day of employment.
- Increasing the number of days of carried over PSL an employee can use each year from 24 hours or three days to 40 hours or five days.
- For employers who offer paid leave, increasing the number of days of paid leave an employee is eligible to receive from 24 hours or three days within nine months of employment to 40 hours or five days within six months.
- Increasing the cap on an employee’s accrual of PSL from 48 hours or six days to 80 hours or 10 days.
- Extending certain procedural and anti-retaliation provisions of existing law to employees who are covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that provides for different paid sick leave obligations.
- Preempting any local cities’ PSL ordinances with less generous leave requirements to establish the state-wide minimums described above.
Learn how to stay compliant with the new law in this article from Fisher and Phillips.
This article is property of California Citrus Mutual. Please seek permission before use.
