Paid Sick Leave Set To Begin in San Francisco

San Francisco on Feb. 5 is set to become the first city in the country to require all businesses to offer paid sick leave for all employees, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. San Francisco voters approved the measure in November.

Under the law, employees will accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees must limit accrual to 40 hours per employee, and businesses with 10 or more employees have an accrual limit of 72 hours per employee.

Currently about 115,000 workers in San Francisco do not have paid sick leave, representing 23% of the city's private-sector workforce, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research.

Workers can use the leave for their own illness or medical appointments, or to care for a sick family member. Employees with no spouse or registered domestic partner can use the sick leave to care for a neighbor, friend or other person of choice, according to the Chronicle (DeBare, San Francisco Chronicle, 1/12).