In this episode of The Workplace podcast, CalChamber Associate General Counsel Matthew Roberts and Senior Employment Law Counsel Erika Barbara discuss California’s paid sick leave law, sharing best practices to ensure compliance and avoid legal pitfalls.
California’s paid sick leave law has been in effect for 10 years, but confusion around its rules remains a common challenge for employers.
Under California law, nearly all employers must provide paid sick leave to their employees, regardless of whether they work full-time, part-time, or seasonally, Roberts explains.
Employers typically meet this requirement by either providing one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked or by frontloading 40 hours (or five days) of paid sick leave annually.
Employees can use paid sick leave when they are unable to work or need to provide care to a family member due to medical care needs, treatment, or are recovering from illness, Barbara explains.
The law defines “family member” broadly, encompassing children, parents, spouses, registered domestic partners, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings.
“…Employees can also use paid sick leave for what the law refers to as a ‘designated person,’ which is essentially anyone that the employee chooses. We are, however, able to limit an employee to just one designated person per 12-month period,” Barbara says.
As of January 1, 2025, paid sick leave can also be used if an...
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