California law requires most employees to receive paid sick leave, and some cities provide more generous local protections. Employees also have protections against retaliation for requesting or using available sick leave.
How Much Sick Leave?
State law generally requires employers to provide at least five days or 40 hours of paid sick leave, subject to the employer’s lawful accrual or front-loading method and applicable rules. Local ordinances may provide greater benefits.
Permitted Uses
Paid sick leave may be used for an employee’s own diagnosis, care, treatment, or preventive care and for qualifying care of certain family members. California law also allows sick leave for specified safety-related reasons.
Retaliation Is Not Allowed
Employers may not lawfully retaliate against employees for requesting or using accrued paid sick leave. Retaliation can include firing, discipline, reduced hours, or other negative treatment.
Check Local Law Too
Cities such as Los Angeles may have paid-sick-leave requirements that are more generous than the statewide minimum. Employees should determine which rules apply to the location where they work.
Keep Your Records
Save paystubs showing sick-leave balances, requests for leave, responses from management, attendance records, and any discipline connected to sick leave.
Contact North Law
If you believe you were denied protected sick leave or retaliated against for using it, contact North Law for a free confidential consultation.