Gov. Gavin Newsom and legislative leaders agree to restore California paid sick leave for COVID-19. Here’s what you need to know.
California workers have been without extra paid time off for COVID – on top of just three days of regular paid sick leave – since a statewide program ended Sept. 30. But the pandemic has peaked again since then. And labor groups and advocates have been lobbying for months to restore it.by Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, the new leave program will be retroactive to Jan. 1 and extend through Sept. 30.
One of the key negotiating points was to offset the costs to businesses, especially smaller ones. As with the previous leave, the new leave only covers employers with 26 or more workers, and the state will provide tax credits to companies. But to get an additional 40 hours of paid leave, workers would have to show proof that they or a family member has tested positive. This provision is apparently to address concerns from the California Chamber about possible fraud by employees. Employers must pay for and provide the test. If a worker refuses to take a test or show a positive test result, no additional sick leave will be granted.
The leave will be retroactive to any time off starting Jan. 1. But making only employees at larger businesses eligibleLast year, they were reimbursed for the supplemental paid leave with a federal tax credit, which is no longer available.
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