California Introduces Bill to Reinstate COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave

UCON Expresses Strong Opposition to New COVID Paid Leave

On Wednesday, February 2, The CA Legislature introduced Assembly Bill 84, the newest version of COVID paid leave. The legislature has announced that they plan to move quickly to pass this bill. Once signed by the governor, the bill will go into effect 10 days later. A mirror version, Senate Bill 114, is anticipated to be released in the California Senate.   

UCON opposes the COVID paid leave, as drafted, calling it a gut punch to our CA employers who have done everything right through COVID. It’s unreasonable and unfair to ask our employers, who already pay premium wages, to shoulder the costs of paid leave; especially as the state sits on a historic budget surplus. We are urging the Governor and legislature to include dollar-for-dollar tax credits for employers who pay premium wages, which includes all CA union-signatory contractors.  

Take Action:  We encourage all members and industry partners to write to the Governor, and their elected officials expressing your opposition to this plan.  

Summary of CA Paid Leave Proposal: 

Here are the details that UCON employers need to know to date: 

• As with Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) passed in 2021, this new SPSL benefit will apply retroactively to January 1, 2022 and remain in effect until Sept 30, 2022.
• This will apply to all employers with 25 or more employees.
• The new SPSL requirement will go into effect 10 days after it’s signed by Governor Newsom.
• Full-time employees may use up to 40 hours of SPSL for a variety of reasons. 
• Full-time employees who test positive for COVID may use an additional 40 hours of SPSL.
• Employers may require documentation showing that the employee tested positive for COVID. 
• The new SPSL applies to instances where the employee contracted COVID off of the jobsite and is in addition to any CA paid sick leave requirement or exclusion pay the employee is entitled under the Cal/OSHA ETS. 
• The maximum amount of SPSL is $511 per day and $5,110 in the aggregate.
• The available amount of SPSL remaining must be shown on the employee’s paystub or on a separate writing.  

UCON is closely monitoring the bill as it proceeds through the legislature. We are actively talking to the Administration and Legislative Leadership, urging them to include a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for our employers. We will continue to update members.  

Contact: For HR & Payroll questions contact UCON Labor & Member Services | 925-855-7900.  

Tell the CA Governor and Legislature to Give Our Businesses A Break 

Use United Contractors Grassroots Action Center to send a preformulated letter to Governor Newsom, your State Senator, and Assemblymember urging them to oppose SPSL that does not include a Dollar-for-Dollar tax credit for your business.