One area of particular concern for many employees and employers is sick leave.
Under the California Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, most employers in the state are required to provide their employees with paid sick leave. This means that employees are entitled to accrue paid sick leave at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, and can begin using accrued sick leave after 90 days of employment. Employers must provide at least three days or 24 hours of sick leave at the beginning of each year of employment, calendar year, or 12-month period.
How to use sick leave
Employees can use sick leave for their own medical needs or to care for certain family members, and employers must allow employees to use at least 24 hours or three days of paid sick leave per year. Unless the full amount of sick leave is provided to employees at the beginning of the employment or calendar year, for those employees who have worked at least 90 days with their employer, employers are required to allow employees to carry over unused sick leave from one year to the next, up to a maximum of 48 hours or six days.
It is important to note that there are some exceptions to the California sick leave law, such as for certain small employers and certain types of workers. If you have questions about your rights as an employee under the California sick leave law, it is a good idea to speak with an experienced employment law attorney.
Can employees accrue sick leave?
In addition to providing paid sick leave, employers are also required to provide employees with information about their rights under the law, including how much sick leave they have accrued and how they can use it. This information must be provided to employees in writing, either on their pay stubs or in a separate document.
Employers are also required to keep records of their employees’ sick leave accrual and usage, and to make these records available to the California Department of Industrial Relations upon request. Employers who violate the California sick leave law may be subject to fines and penalties.
The law states that the amount of pay an employee receives for sick leave must be at least the employee’s regular rate of pay.
In summary, the California Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 is an important law that ensures that most employees in the state have the right to take paid sick leave when they need it. If you have questions about your rights or obligations under this law, don’t hesitate to contact an experienced employment law attorney for guidance. At Matern Law Group, our attorneys are ready to help you – contact us today for a free consultation.
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