California COVID-19 paid sick leave bill clears first legislative hurdle

A bill to reinstate COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave was passed by a committee of Senate lawmakers on Thursday, advancing a proposal labor advocates say is needed to ensure worker safety.

The Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee voted to advance Assembly Bill 84 on Thursday, which would provide up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for employees who cannot work due to COVID-19-related impacts.

Under the bill's provisions, workers are entitled to 40 hours of paid sick leave if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and awaiting a diagnosis or have been advised to quarantine. Employees would also qualify for supplemental paid leave to care for a quarantined family member or take care of a child whose school or daycare is closed due to COVID-19.

Workers could then receive an additional 40 hours of paid sick leave if they or a family member tests positive for COVID-19. Employees are required to show proof of a positive test in order to qualify for the additional leave.

“[Supplemental paid sick leave] is a very important public health measure,” Sen. Richard Pan, D-Sacramento, said on Thursday. “We want to ensure people aren’t coming to work sick, bringing COVID into the workplace and potentially exposing customers or other people.”

At the end of January, Governor Gavin Newsom, alongside leadership in the State Assembly and Senate, announced an agreement with lawmakers to bring back COVID-19 paid sick leave. The announcement came after the state had experienced widespread staffing shortages in several sectors as result of increasing COVID-19 case rates. In January, California saw a 320% increase in the amount of people not working because themselves or a family member were experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, according to the California Budget & Policy Center.

With COVID-19 cases on the rise, labor groups called on lawmakers to reinstate paid sick leave provisions that had expired in September 2021. Advocates said Thursday reinstating paid sick leave provisions are crucial to ensuring workers do not have to choose between working while sick or losing a paycheck.

“COVID isn’t through with us,” Seth Bramble, a legislative advocate with the California Teachers Association, tweeted Thursday. “We can’t let our guard down. That’s why workers need #PaidSickDaysNow to protect themselves and their coworkers.”

If passed by both chambers and signed by Newsom, the COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave would apply retroactively starting Jan. 1 and run through the end of September. The provisions would apply to businesses with 26 or more employees.

The proposal was praised by officials from the California Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, who said the governor's office "considerably improved" the original proposal to make it "more affordable and manageable" in response to the organization's concerns. In a statement, CalChamber President and CEO Jennifer Barrera said the plan was "more limited and scope and duration" than originally discussed.

“Healthy workers and healthy customers are good for business," Barrera said in a statement. "The proposal announced today is a balanced approach to protect both workers and our economy. By allowing workers who contract COVID-19 to stay home until they test negative, employers are, once again, leading the way on efforts to contain the virus and creating healthier workplaces that are safe for both employees and customers."

During Thursday’s hearing, the budget committee also advanced Assembly Bill 87, which would make $150 million in the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program to fund the remaining waitlisted grant applicants. The bill also removes certain temporary limits on tax credits, allowing businesses to reduce their tax burdens.

The Assembly Budget Committee is meeting Monday to discuss these bills, as well as others included in Newsom's package of COVID-19 emergency bills.