California to Renew COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for 2022

California to Renew COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave for 2022

Overview


On January 25, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that his office and state lawmakers had reached an agreement to reimplement a version of California’s COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave through September 30, 2022. The governor’s press release can be found here.

In Depth


It is expected that the state legislature will move quickly to finalize and vote on legislation to effectuate this statewide paid leave obligation. The governor’s office did not announce further details; however, various news sources have reported the following details from the proposed legislation:

  • Paid leave obligations apply to employers with more than 25 employees.
  • COVID-19-related paid leave obligations will be retroactive to cover absences beginning January 1, 2022, with an expiration date of September 30, 2022.
  • Covered employers would be required to provide workers with up to two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave to recover from COVID-19 or care for a family member with the virus, as follows:
    • Up to 40 hours of flexible paid leave for full-time workers who are sick or caring for an ill loved one; and
    • Up to 40 additional hours of paid leave with proof of a positive COVID-19 test.

The proposed legislation details above are subject to change as the legislation is finalized and voted on in the coming weeks.

McDermott Will & Emery is closely tracking this legislation and is available to assist employers with paid leave policy updates and continued compliance efforts.