CA Sick Pay Law 2025: Employer Requirements & Employee Rights

California’s 2025 sick leave law mandates at least 40 hours or five days of paid leave for eligible employees. Get clear rules on accrual, usage, carryover, anti-retaliation protections, and notice requirements for employers statewide.

By Douglas Wade, Attorney

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Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. California Sick leave eligibility

3. Companies covered under this legislation

4. Number of leaves that companies must offer under the CA Sick Pay Law 2025

5. California’s paid sick leave coverage

6. What does this have to do with other kinds of leave?

7. Employers restricting the number of sick leave hours that workers can utilize in a year: Is it possible?

8. Offering all of the leaves at once rather than allowing them to accrue: Is this possible?

9. Does unused leave have to be carried over by employers?

10. The minimum amount of leave that an employee is permitted to take

11. Requirement of Notice

12. What kind of proof are employers allowed to request?

13. When workers take this vacation, are their employment and benefits protected?

14. Reimbursement of unused sick leave when an employee leaves

Introduction

California’s Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act requires paid sick leave with secure days off for safety and health concerns. Up to forty hours or five days of sick leave must be offered by most firms each year so that employees can take good care of their wellness without jeopardizing their job security.

There are numerous local authorities in California that have set their individual sick leave policies. With a few notable exceptions with respect to lending policies, paperwork, and payment requirements, employers are generally required to abide by the state and municipal rules that are more lenient toward employees.

Maintaining compliance at work and promoting the health (both physical & mental) of employees requires a deep understanding of the CA Sick Pay Law 2025. The law lays forth detailed rules for the accumulation and use of leave, along with particular clauses that safeguard both employers and employees. What you have to know to maintain compliance as per the CA Sick Pay Law 2025 is as follows.

California Sick leave eligibility

Employees who work in California for no less than 30 days a year are entitled to paid sick leave. Nevertheless, companies have the authority to require workers to wait ninety days before utilizing any sick leave that has accumulated or to provide paid time off to workers before they accrue.

Companies covered under this legislation

California’s business community is subject to the obligation, which is universal for all firms with a minimum of one employee. So, the CA Sick Pay Law 2025 covers all types of companies in California.

Number of leaves that companies must offer under the CA Sick Pay Law 2025

Workers can accrue a maximum of forty hours or five days of compensated sick leave annually, or one hour for every thirty hours worked. If employers offer at least twenty-four hours of leave before the 120th day of work and forty hours of leave before the 200th day, they are permitted to use other accrual techniques.

Unless their usual schedule involves fewer hours, accumulation for exempt personnel is calculated on a 40-hour workweek; otherwise, it maintains their usual routine.

California’s paid sick leave coverage

Workers may utilize their leave to diagnose or treat medical concerns for themselves or their family members, as well as for preventative care. Certain needs relating to sexual assault, domestic abuse, or stalking are covered by paid sick leave, such as:

Medical care for injuries
Services provided by rape crisis facilities or shelters for victims of domestic abuse
Psychological guidance
Planning for safety or moving
Getting orders for legal protection

What does this have to do with other kinds of leave?

California paid sick leave is different compared to additional state-mandated leaves, such as the California Family Rights Act and the paid family leave coverage scheme. Even though sick leave may be utilized in conjunction with other leaves, there are certain guidelines that must be followed. If a complete compensated time off policy offers comparable or better benefits, companies can use it to satisfy these criteria.

Employers restricting the number of sick leave hours that workers can utilize in a year: Is it possible?

Employers have the option to restrict consumption to forty hours or five days per year (the higher number is taken into account). Employees who work 10-hour days are entitled to fifty hours of time off for illness per year. Those who work 6-hour days are given 40 hours.

Offering all of the leaves at once rather than allowing them to accrue: Is this possible?

Employers are permitted to front-load medical leave by offering a minimum of 40 hours or five days at the beginning of the year (as per CA Sick Pay Law 2025). On their 120th day of work, newly hired employees must receive twenty-four hours, and on their 200th day, they must get 40 hours.

Does unused leave have to be carried over by employers?

Up to eighty hours or ten days, whichever is more, of accrued & unused compensated sick leave must be carried over to the following year. Employers are not obligated to permit carryover if they front-load leave.

The minimum amount of leave that an employee is permitted to take

According to the CA Sick Pay Law 2025, employers in California are permitted to set a minimum usage increment of two hours.

Requirement of Notice

Employers are required to give non-exempt workers a personalized “Notice to Worker” and display a poster regarding sick leave entitlements in the workplace. Additionally, on pay days, employers are required to notify employees of available paid sick time on pay stubs or in other documents.

Workers must advise employers as soon as feasible of any unforeseen needs and provide a sufficient amount of advance notification for foreseeable leave.

What kind of proof are employers allowed to request?

Employers may ask for evidence where there is a reasonable suspicion over the authenticity of leave, even if they cannot refuse leave based only on the absence of medical proof. Employees may, however, demand an immediate leave of absence in writing or verbally.

When workers take this vacation, are their employment and benefits protected?

It is against the CA Sick Pay Law 2025 for employers to fire or otherwise punish workers for taking sick days.

Reimbursement of unused sick leave when an employee leaves

Unused sick time does not need to be paid out after separation. Employees must get their previously acquired and underused sick leave restored if they are rehired within a year. Reinstatement is not necessary, though, if the employer paid out excess time at departure and utilized a PTO policy.

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CA Sick Pay Law 2025: Employer Requirements & Employee Rights

Introduction

California Sick leave eligibility

Companies covered under this legislation

Number of leaves that companies must offer under the CA Sick Pay Law 2025

California’s paid sick leave coverage

What does this have to do with other kinds of leave?

Employers restricting the number of sick leave hours that workers can utilize in a year: Is it possible?

Offering all of the leaves at once rather than allowing them to accrue: Is this possible?

Does unused leave have to be carried over by employers?

The minimum amount of leave that an employee is permitted to take

Requirement of Notice

What kind of proof are employers allowed to request?

When workers take this vacation, are their employment and benefits protected?

Reimbursement of unused sick leave when an employee leaves

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