Assembly Committee To Hear Bill on Mandatory Sick Leave in California
On Wednesday, the Assembly Labor and Employment Committee is scheduled to discuss a bill that would guarantee employees as many as nine paid sick days annually to care for themselves or a family member, the AP/San Jose Mercury News reports.
AB 2716 by Assembly member Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) would require employers to give workers at least one hour for every 30 hours worked, once the employee has been on the job for at least 90 days.
Companies with 10 or more employees would have to provide up to nine days of sick leave annually, while smaller companies would be required to provide as many as five days annually.
The bill also would permit employees to use sick leave for recovery from domestic abuse or sexual assault.
At least a dozen business groups have expressed their opposition to the bill and said it could increase costs and liability, lower wages and reduce available health insurance, the AP/Mercury News reports.
Denise Davis, a spokesperson for the California Chamber of Commerce, said in the worst-case scenario, the mandate could lead to job loss or reduced work hours (Lawrence, AP/San Jose Mercury News, 4/7).