California’s COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Returns

California has passed Senate Bill 95 to reinstate and expand the COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave requirements first put in place in April 2020. The new law applies retroactively to January 1, 2021, and will remain in effect until September 30, 2021. The law applies to all employers in the state of California with 25 or more employees.  The law lists numerous situations in which an employee would be entitled to this leave, including not being able to work or telework due to:

• The employee experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or needing to quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19
• The employee acting as caretaker for a family member subject to quarantine or a child whose school is closed due to concerns related to COVID-19
• The employee attending a COVID-19 vaccination appointment or experiencing side effects from a COVID-19 vaccination

Please review the FAQ document issued by the California Department of Industrial Relations and the legislation itself for a complete list of situations in which employees are entitled to this leave, how much leave is required for each employee and other details.

Employers are also required to display a poster issued by the California Labor Commissioner in a visible space in the workplace. The poster lists allowable leave reasons and the amount of leave for which employees are eligible. If employees do not frequent the workplace, employers can disseminate it via electronic means, including email.