Lawmakers Tweak New California Paid Sick Leave Law

Jason Geller was quoted on Bloomberg BNA on July 15, 2015. The article “Lawmakers Tweak New California Paid Sick Leave Law” discussed recent changes to a new California paid sick leave law, which provides employers more flexibility in calculating sick pay rates and determining how employees accrue leave.

Jason was quoted on how these changes have addressed a lot of questions and concerns that once caused employers to be confused.

Jason told Bloomberg BNA July 15 that the newly signed bill should address most of the questions and confusion of his employer clients.

For example, employers don't need to offer additional paid sick leave in order to comply with the law if they offer at least three days of paid personal time off, which can be used for vacation, sick time, or other purposes.

A.B. 304 also clarifies requirements for tracking leave usage and communicating balances to employees, and states that employers with paid time off policies don't have to ask employees what they use their leave for, Jason said.

“Employers should certainly consult with their HR department or employment counsel to be sure their policies are consistent with the law, especially if they have out-of-state operations,” Jason said.

To read the full article, please visit Bloomberg BNA.