CA Sick Pay 2025: California Paid Sick Leave Law, Updates & Employee Rights

CA Sick Pay 2025 raises paid sick leave for most California employees to five days or 40 hours each year. Covers eligibility, city rules, permitted uses, employer obligations, and steps if rights are denied under the updated law.

By Brad Nakase, Attorney

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. The Recently Revised California Sick Leave Rules: Who is Eligible for Paid Leave?

3. Who is not covered by the CA Sick Pay 2025 amendments?

4. The sick leave policy of my employer is different. What does that mean?

5. My City Implements Its Separate Sick Leave Laws: What will happen?

6. When Am I Able to Take a Sick Day?

7. Get in touch with a California employment attorney if your sick leave rights are denied

Introduction

The minimum number of sick days that employers are mandated to provide their employees has been modified in California. A few of the adjustments become operative in 2024. On 1^st January 2025, some became legislation.

The biggest change under CA Sick Pay 2025 is that most California employees receive either 40 hours or five days of paid sick leave every year. Until 2024, employers were offering sick leave of three days or 24 hours per year only.

The Recently Revised California Sick Leave Rules: Who is Eligible for Paid Leave?

Under the law of the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) in California, any worker who works over thirty days with the same company in one year is entitled to forty hours or five days of sick leave. The employee is entitled to the rest of the sick leaves that might be covered.

In most situations, employees are given the freedom to start using sick days after serving at least ninety days at the company.

Sick leave is also normally available to temporary workers, qualified part-time, per diem, and in-home assistance providers under CA Sick Pay 2025.

Who is not covered by the CA Sick Pay 2025 amendments?

Certain workers might be excused from certain sick leave obligations, according to the DIR:

Employees of an airline who work on the flight deck or in the cabin, provided they are paid time off that meets the minimum standards of the compensated sick leave statute.
People in retirement who are employed by the government.
Railway workers.
Construction industry workers are covered by the collective bargaining contract with specific clauses.
Some workers who are protected by a collective bargaining contract might be partly exempt from the CA Sick Pay 2025 rules regarding sick leave.

The sick leave policy of my employer is different. What does that mean?

Employers are not allowed to give qualifying employees fewer days off for illness under CA Sick Pay 2025. They are allowed to offer more sick time than the law requires.

A PTO (paid time off) arrangement may also be offered by employers. These plans can give workers more leave. They usually can’t go below the five days that the state requires.

All companies in California have to display a poster outlining the most recent sick leave regulations. It should be showcased in a location/area that is convenient for every staff member to read.

My City Implements Its Separate Sick Leave Laws: What will happen?

Sick leave policies vary from city to city. For example, Los Angeles offers eligible employees at least six days of compensated sick leave, which goes above and beyond the state’s standards.

The number of sick leaves required by the state must be at least equal to that provided by cities with their separate employment laws. Together with other considerations, state and local regulations must cooperate.

When Am I Able to Take a Sick Day?

The DIR outlines the following justifications for employees to take sick days:

For the sake of oneself or someone in your family who is ill, you may utilize a sick day.
For preventive medical treatment, such as yearly checkups with the doctor or immunizations, you are entitled to a sick day.
During a municipal or state emergency, agricultural workers might take sick days. It can be to avoid unfavorable conditions like heat, smoke, or flooding.
If an employee or their specific family members were identified as the victims of a crime, they can claim sick days (starting 1^st January 2025)

For injuries sustained as a result of a crime, victims may request medical attention. Applying for an order of protection against someone may also require them to take time off.

Employers are not required by CA Sick Pay 2025 to record or inquire about an explanation for a sick day.

Get in touch with a California employment attorney if your sick leave rights are denied

It is unlawful to limit an employee’s sick leave. In addition to reporting an infraction to the DIR, any employee may consider pursuing legal action to recover their rightful compensation. In certain situations, a knowledgeable California employment attorney can help victims regain their time and money and even get paid more than they were deducted.

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