California New Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Law Effective July 1, 2015

Effective July 1, 2015, under the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, all California employers must provide their California employees with at least 3 days (24 hours) of paid sick leave per year.

Unlike several other California leave laws, there is no exemption for small employers. According to Cooley, the new law applies to employees (exempt and non-exempt) who work in California 30 days or more in a year. This includes temporary, part-time, and seasonal employees, and out-of-state employees who work in California 30 or more days in a calendar year. The only employees not included are: (1) union-represented employees covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement if the agreement expressly provides for paid sick leave, provides for final and binding arbitration of disputes concerning the application of paid sick day provisions, and meets other requirements; (2) employees in the construction industry covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement that meets certain requirements; (3) providers of in-home supportive services under California law; and (4) employees of an air carrier flight deck or cabin crew members who receive compensated time off equal to the amounts in the new statute.