Summary: Assembly Bill 400 allows all California workers to earn and use paid sick days.

 Background:  Over 4.5 million working Californians – over 40 percent of all workers in California – cannot earn paid sick days. 

A Field Research poll conducted in August 2008 shows overwhelming support by Californians for guaranteed paid sick days. A large majority – 73 percent – of California adults surveyed indicated that they would support a law guaranteeing paid sick days for all California workers.[1] This support crosses party, gender, and ethnic lines.

The lack of paid sick days negatively impacts family economic security and harms public health. Workers who have no paid sick days are forced to make an impossible choice: lose pay and risk job loss to care for a personal illness or care for a sick family member. Many workers who show up to work sick handle our food at restaurants, take care of our kids at daycare centers, and nurse the sick and elderly. When workers are forced to work sick, their germs become our germs.  Parents without paid sick days put other children’s health at risk.

In a 2008 report, Human Impact Partners found that the health of all Californians would significantly benefit if workers earned paid sick days and used them when ill or when a family member needs care.

Solution: AB 400 allows workers to earn paid sick days, which they can use for personal illness, to care for a sick family member and to recover from domestic violence or assault.

Workers will earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Workers who are employed by a small business with 10 or fewer employees may use 5 sick days per year and those who work for large employers, more than 10 employees, may use 9 sick days per year.

The Labor Commissioner will administer and enforce the requirements of the bill and will promulgate implementing regulations.

Sponsors:

California Labor Federation

Staff Contact:

Nick Hardeman, 916-319-2012