With the calendar turning to November, flu season is coming. Indeed, Southern California’s weather doesn’t lend itself to people getting sick when dealing with the cold, but employees can and will get sick over the next couple months.
And it may not always be the employees themselves who will be under the weather. More kids get sick during the school year because germs are passed. Because of this, parents may have to take time off to care for their ailing children. In these instances, they are allowed to use accrued sick time.
But for employees, how much sick time is supposed to be legally given? This question can be especially difficult when it involves new employees who have not accrued a significant amount of time off. Nevertheless, employees should realize that California enacted a new paid sick leave law this year. While it may appear confusing, the basic thing that workers should know is that they should be entitled to at least 24 hours (or three workdays) worth of paid sick leave or have an accrual method that allows for one hour of paid time off for every 30 hours worked.
The new paid sick leave protocols may seem confusing considering that there are many plans that are grandfathered into the new law, and it may not be clear about how to provide sick leave for some non-exempt employees and workers who earn other forms of compensation. Nevertheless, consulting with an experienced employment law attorney is a prudent step in making sure that your rights are being honored.
The preceding is not legal advice