California Gov. Gavin Newsom (L) and state Sen. Lena Gonzales pose for a photo Wednesday after the Democratic governor signed Gonzales’ Senate Bill 616 to increase paid sick leave from three to five days. Photo courtesy of the Office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom
Oct. 5 (UPI) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that increases annual paid sick days offered to workers from three to five.
Newsom signed Senate Bill 616 on Wednesday, along with a slew of other legislation.
The bill, which goes into effect Jan. 1, requires most employers to provide at least 40 hours or five days of accrued sick leave or paid time off by the 200th calendar day of employment. It also increases the number of accrued paid sick days to carry over into the next year.
“Too many folks are still having to choose between skipping a day’s pay and taking care of themselves or their family members when they get sick,” the democratic governor said in a statement.
“We’re making it known that the health and wellbeing of workers and their families is of the utmost importance for California’s future.”
Advocates of increased paid sick days argue that working while sick costs the economy hundreds of billions of dollars a year in lost productivity, and that offering paid sick days not only reduces the number of employees who report to work sick but makes those who do show up more productive.
However, opponents say the change in California law will increase burdens shouldered by small businesses.
“Our concern is that far too many small employers simply cannot absorb this new cost, especially when viewed in context of all of California’s other leaves and paid benefits, and they will have to reduce jobs, cut wages or raise consumer prices to deal with this mandate,” California Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jennifer Barrera said Wednesday in a statement in response to the signing of S.B. 616.
“Small businesses are crucial to our local communities and the overall success of our economy. Continuing to add costs to their price of doing business creates a threat to California’s long-term competitiveness.”
On the other hand, the legislation was welcomed by the United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council, which said Wednesday that the bill is proof California values working people.
“More paid sick leave prevents the spread of deadly diseases throughout our communities,” Andrea Zinder, president of UFCW Local 324, said in a statement.
“Five paid sick days is a step in the right direction and workers will be less likely forced to risk their livelihoods to do the right thing and stay home when they’re sick because of this bill.”