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HR Solutions Partners, Inc. (HRSPI) is pleased to announce that HRSPI has recently been acquired by experienced Silicon Valley professionals.

The new owners recognize the value of the business and will maintain the existing HRSPI brand and service offerings. I have committed to serving as a member of the Advisory Board to assist in the transition and provide guidance and advice in 2021.

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HR Solutions Partners, Inc.

Blog Post (Archives)

Mandatory Sick Pay - 10 Tips for Compliance

(posted: June 11th, 2015)

Mandatory sick pay

The Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (HWHFA) requires California employers to begin providing paid sick leave to their employees starting on July 1, 2015.

Unlike many other California laws, the new paid sick leave law does not exclude small employers with a limited number of employees, but rather expansively defines employers as "any person employing another."

We've talked about this a couple of times, offering an overview, here and some additional guidance here, including a checklist.

And remember, San Francisco and San Diego have different regulations in place; employers will need to comply with whichever provisions are the more advantageous to employees.

10 Tips for Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Compliance

The minimum obligation is to provide sick pay at the rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked or a lump sum allocation of three days or 24 hours per year. Below are 10 tips to help ensure that your sick pay policy complies with the law.

1) PTO Plans Might, or Might Not, Satisfy

Your existing paid time off (PTO) plan may satisfy HWHFA obligations, so long as it provides the minimum level of benefits mandated by the law.

Do not assume that simply because you offer three or more days of PTO and/or sick leave that you have complied with the law. Companies choosing to satisfy their obligations under the HWHFA through a PTO policy may need to adjust their policies in several ways. For example, your policy's PTO accrual rate may be less generous than the law's minimum accrual rate of one hour for every 30 worked. Moreover, the PTO accrual might be measured on a per-pay period basis, rather than on a per-hour basis, potentially leading to insufficient accrual. Another deficiency may be that the PTO plan may not cover all categories of employees. Some policies may place inappropriate restrictions on employees regarding the timing and purpose of paid time off. Carefully compare each provision of the HWHFA to your existing policy to ensure that the company policy satisfies each minimum obligation.

2) Most Employers and Employees Are Covered

Confirm that all classes of your company's California employees receive sick pay. The HWHFA covers large and small employers and does not have a size exemption. The law mandates benefits to all full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees who work for the company in California for 30 or more days within a year (with limited exceptions). Traditionally, many employers have limited sick pay benefits to full-time employees; this can no longer be the case in California. Note, however, that so long as the minimum benefit is provided, the company may provide more generous benefits to employees in certain job classifications.

3) Notify Employees of Their New Rights

The law requires employers to provide notice to their employees of sick pay rights in two ways. First, beginning Jan. 1, 2015, employers should have posted a workplace poster containing information regarding sick pay rights.

Second, employers are required to provide most employees with an individualized Notice to Employee (required under Labor Code Section 2810.5) that includes paid sick leave information. This notice should be provided to new employees upon hire and to existing employees by July 8.

Additionally, because most employers will decide to customize and qualify sick pay benefits, it is highly recommended that employers distribute an updated PTO or sick pay policy.

4) Think About Offering a Lump Sum Benefit

Companies may choose between policies in which leave accrues at the minimum rate of one hour for every 30 worked or offering a lump sum amount of no less than three days or 24 hours at the start of each 12-month period. The 12-month period may be based on the employee's anniversary date, a calendar year, or any other defined 12-month period. Under this approach, no accrued hours need be rolled over into the following year.

There are pros and cons to either approach. The accrual method ensures that employees receive the benefit in proportion to hours worked throughout the year, but accounting for the accrual adds complexity. On the other hand, offering a lump sum of 24 hours per year avoids accounting headaches but gives employees a windfall of up-front benefits without working the hours to earn them.

5) Consider Imposing Caps

Employers that opt for the accrual method should note that the law's minimum accrual rate will cause full-time employees to earn more than eight days of sick pay per year. But employers may impose an accrual cap of 48 hours or six days. An employer may also impose an annual use cap of 24 hours or three days. An employer will need to impose these caps in a written policy to prevent a large accrual of benefits.

6) Recognize Very Broad Use Rights

Employees may use the new accrued sick pay benefits for the diagnosis, care, or treatment of an existing health condition or preventative care for themselves or a family member. Sick pay may no longer be limited to circumstances in which an employee is medically incapacitated from working. The new law permits employees to use sick pay to care for a child, parent, spouse, registered domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, and sibling. The law also permits employees to take sick pay for the purpose of dealing with domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

7) Consider Variable Pay

The rate of sick pay is the employee's hourly wage. However, where the employee's pay fluctuates, it becomes necessary to recalculate the sick pay rate. If during the 90 days prior to taking a sick day the employee had different hourly pay rates, was paid by commission or piece rate, or was a nonexempt salaried employee, then the rate of pay is calculated based on a 90-day average.

8) Plan to Inform Employees of Available Sick Pay Each Pay Period

Every pay day, employers must provide each employee with a statement of available sick pay. The information may either be included on the employee's pay stub or in a separate document provided on payday.

9) Don't Retaliate

Any discipline associated with abuse of PTO needs to be administered with utmost care. The sick pay law prohibits retaliation against an employee for using or attempting to use sick days. The law also creates a rebuttable presumption that an employer has retaliated against an employee if the employer takes an adverse action against the employee within 30 days of the employee filing a complaint with the state, participating in an investigation, or opposing any practice prohibited by the law.

10) Stay Informed & Ask For Help

There are many additional nuances to the HWFA, and it is important that you be aware of the law's intricacies and stay abreast of new changes. Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

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