Governor Newsom announced today that an agreement has been reached with State Legislative Leaders (Senate President Atkins and Assembly Speaker Rendon) on the framework to ensure employees have access to COVID-19 supplemental sick leave through September 30, 2022. The new supplemental sick leave coverage is also retroactive back to January 1, 2022.

The proposal would require employers to provide up to 40 hours of flexible paid leave to full-time workers who are sick or caring for an ill loved one, and require proof of a positive test to qualify for an additional 40 hours of paid time off. Workers at businesses with 26 or more employees who test positive for the virus, or have to care for a family member with COVID-19 would get up to two weeks of supplemental leave.  The framework will provide up to 40 hours of additional paid sick leave, and another 40 hours if a worker or a family member they take care of tests positive. 

Part-time workers would be eligible for sick leave equal to the number of hours they typically work in a week or twice that amount with a positive test. The paid time off will also allow parents to stay home when their children are sent home from school due to illness or after being exposed to COVID-19. Employees could use up to three days of the new sick leave benefit to attend a vaccination appointment for themselves or a family member and to recover from any symptoms after vaccination.

It is important to note that today's announcement is merely  an agreement on the framework. The actual language of the bill has not been released. The bill itself will likely fast track through the state legislature and be passed in the next several weeks.

Prepared by Mansour Chopan, Goyette, Ruano & Thompson, for UPEC member distribution.