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by Armando Rodriguez, Esq - Product Compliance Counsel Compliance And Legal Department

& Gail Cohen, Esq. - Assistant General Counsel, Employment and Litigation

March 25, 2021

Well, it’s déjà vu all over again! On March 19, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB95, providing for a new bank of COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) and giving employers a whopping 10 days to understand its terms and be ready to offer it to employees. The “effective date” is March 29 but it applies retroactively to January 1, 2021.

But don’t fret! Here is a handy chart that tells you what you need to know:

Covered Employers	More than 25 employees total (not just CA employees)
Eligible Employees	Any employee of a Covered Employer No hours worked or length of service requirement
Purpose(s) for which Leave May be Taken	A California employee can take CA SPSL for any of the following reasons related to COVID-19: When subject to a quarantine or isolation period as defined by federal, state or local guidelines. Advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine due to concerns To attend an appointment to receive a vaccine While experiencing symptoms related to a vaccine that prevent him or her from being able to work or telework While experiencing symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis While caring for a family member who is subject to a quarantine or isolation order or guideline or who has been advised to self-quarantine by a healthcare provider due to concerns While caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed or otherwise unavailable on the premises for reasons
Leave Entitlement	An employer cannot require employees to use other paid or unpaid leave (such as PTO, vacation, other paid sick leave) prior to or in lieu of using SPSL Full-time employees who worked or were scheduled to work 40 hours in the two weeks prior to the leave are eligible for 80 hours. Part-time employees who work a normal weekly schedule are entitled to the number of hours the employee is normally scheduled to work over a two week period. If a part-time employee does not work a regular schedule, then the employee is entitled to 14 times the average hours the employee worked in a day over the last 6 months. Special rules apply for part-time employees who have worked for the employer for a period of 14 days to 6 months, or for fewer than 14 days
Benefit Amounts	Employer pay obligations under CA SPSL are capped at $511 per day and $5110 in total Exempt employees are paid at their normal rate of compensation, subject to the above caps Special rules apply for calculating the rate of pay for nonexempt employees, subject to the above caps
Does CA SPSL run concurrently with CFRA and FMLA?	Yes, if the reason for leave is also covered by CFRA or FMLA (for example, the employee or a family member has a serious health condition)
Employee Required Notice of Need for Leave	Requires only oral or written request and such leave is immediately available. No advance notice of the need for leave is set forth in the statute
Certification	An employer may not ask for any verification or documentation unless there is a reasonable basis to question the employee’s stated reason for leave
Employer Obligation to Make Retroactive Payments	CA SPSL is retroactive to January 1, 2021 An employee who took leave for a covered reason from January 1, 2021, through March 28, 2021, can make a request for CA SPSL on or after March 29, 2021, and the employer is obligated to make that payment on or before the next scheduled payroll period The employer may be able to apply other types of paid leave provided during that period as a credit
Pay Stub Obligations	Wage statements must separately show CA SPSL balances and deductions (separate from other PTO or CA Paid Sick Leave balances)
Employer Notice	Employers are required to provide notice of employee rights to CA SPSL by posting the model notice in their workplace For those who do not frequent a workplace this obligation can be satisfied electronically Click here to access therequired poster
Nondiscrimination and retaliation	Employees who request or take leave under CA SPSL are protected from discrimination and retaliation and can file complaints about such conduct with the CA Labor Commissioner
Special Rules	Special rules apply to providers of in-home supportive services or certain personal care services There is a different calculation for paid leave entitlement for firefighters who work more than 80 hours in the 2 weeks prior to taking SPSL Other special rules apply; please consult the law for coverage of your workers

Please note, this is a summary of the law’s provisions. If you are a CA employer, please consult the law itself for details.

If you’d like some additional resources you can access the law, SB95, here. The California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has a very helpful FAQ document here. And here is a Side by Side Comparison of Paid Leave Options.

Matrix Can Help!

Matrix Absence Management offers a number of creative solutions, particularly to assist employers in dealing with COVID-related absences. For more information about our solutions, please contact your Matrix or Reliance Standard Life Insurance account manager, or reach us at [email protected].

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