Attention California Employers: Material amendments to the State’s paid sick leave law (“the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014”) are scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2024.

Some of the changes include:

  • increasing the annual leave an employee must be allowed to use from 24 hours or three days to 40 hours or five days;
  • in order to avoid carryover obligations, employers must now frontload 40 hours or five days, which is an increase from the prior requirement of 24 hours or three days; and
  • increasing the overall cap on an employee’s accrual of leave from 48 hours or six days to 80 hours or 10 days (for employers that use the accrual method).

As a reminder, employers in California must also continue to adhere to any applicable local paid sick time ordinances, although the recent amendments to the State law partially preempt local paid sick leave ordinances in certain limited respects.

Contact legal counsel to ensure all policies remain in compliance as we head into the New Year.