Tell Governor Newsom to Veto SB 616
Senate Bill 616 (Gonzalez) proposes to modify the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act by increasing mandatory paid sick days from 3 to 5 for employees.
While adding one more paid benefit may appear modest, it is essential to consider the broader landscape of California's existing leave and paid benefit programs, particularly in the wake of the special paid leave requirements between 2020 and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The growing overlap of these mandates, coupled with elevated labor costs, supply chain disruptions, and ongoing pandemic impacts, has overwhelmed numerous small businesses operating on slim profit margins. Many such enterprises, already struggling to weather the pandemic's challenges, may find it financially unsustainable to absorb these increased costs. Additionally, this move could raise prices for goods and services, cause job losses, reduce working hours, and diminish employee benefits.
Furthermore, SB 616 fails to address existing issues within our paid leave benefits system. It introduces an amendment that preempts local ordinances, which could mandate even more benefits beyond the state's current requirements. The bill also compels the need for meticulous documentation when utilizing leave. It exposes businesses of all sizes to the risk of litigation following a California Court of Appeals ruling that applies the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) to paid sick leave claims.
Tell Governor Newsom to Veto SB 616
Senate Bill 616 (Gonzalez) proposes to modify the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act by increasing mandatory paid sick days from 3 to 5 for employees.
While adding one more paid benefit may appear modest, it is essential to consider the broader landscape of California's existing leave and paid benefit programs, particularly in the wake of the special paid leave requirements between 2020 and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The growing overlap of these mandates, coupled with elevated labor costs, supply chain disruptions, and ongoing pandemic impacts, has overwhelmed numerous small businesses operating on slim profit margins. Many such enterprises, already struggling to weather the pandemic's challenges, may find it financially unsustainable to absorb these increased costs. Additionally, this move could raise prices for goods and services, cause job losses, reduce working hours, and diminish employee benefits.
Furthermore, SB 616 fails to address existing issues within our paid leave benefits system. It introduces an amendment that preempts local ordinances, which could mandate even more benefits beyond the state's current requirements. The bill also compels the need for meticulous documentation when utilizing leave. It exposes businesses of all sizes to the risk of litigation following a California Court of Appeals ruling that applies the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) to paid sick leave claims.