The Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, which Governor Jerry Brown signed on September 10, 2014, goes into effect today, July 1, 2015. The Act requires California employers to provide employees with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Below is a round-up of some helpful articles covering all the details of the Act, including employers’ obligations and the latest developments on the new law.
Basic Requirements
Our November 2014 article, FAQs on California’s Paid Sick Leave Law, provides a detailed overview of the new law’s requirements and includes answers to a wide range of questions. In addition to these frequently asked questions, employers can find a list of handy tips for compliance in our Ten Tips to Comply With California’s Upcoming Sick Pay Mandate article.
Amendments to the Law?
Our recent article, Pending California Bill May Cure Sick Pay Law, covers amendments to the paid sick leave law contained in Assembly Bill (AB) 304. The bill proposes changes to the paid sick leave law’s accrual rates, clarifies the provision requiring employees to have worked for 30 or more days for the law to apply, and delays the notice that employers must give to employees regarding their pay rights. AB 304, which the governor may sign as early as mid-July, also covers employers’ obligations to itemize available sick leave on pay stubs and how to calculate employees’ pay rates for the purposes of a pay-out when pay rates vary.
Employers’ Notice Obligations
The Act requires the Labor Commissioner’s Office, through the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), to create a wage notice for employers to distribute to employees. According to the “Frequently Asked Questions” page on the Department of Industrial Relations website, all new employees hired on or after January 1, 2015, must be given the notice at the time of hire. Employees hired prior to January 1, 2015 must receive the notice within seven days of the date that an employer’s sick plan is implemented, which is July 8, 2015 since the deadline for implementation is July 1. Our February 2015 article, California Labor Commissioner Revises Sick Pay Notice Obligation, covers these revised notice obligations in detail.
