Gov. Gavin Newsom at 12/22/21 press conference. (Photo: gov.ca.gov)
Governor Newsom Issues Legislative Proposal For Another Two Weeks Paid COVID-19 Sick Leave
‘Giving all employees 1-2 weeks more of paid days off is going to wreak havoc as businesses are still shelling out cold hard cash for these days off’
By Evan Symon, January 25, 2022 3:29 pm
Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President Toni Atkins (D-San Diego), and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) announced on Tuesday that workers will once again have two weeks of supplemental paid sick leave for COVID-19, COVID-19 quarantining, and recovering from COVID-19 vaccine side effects through a new legislative proposal.
In March of last year SB 95 was signed into law, which gave an additional two weeks off in paid vacation for all workers in the state at businesses with 26 or more employees to recover from COVID-19, as well as other periphery needs, such as staying home to care for children with COVID-19. The bill retroactively was pushed to January 1st and expired on September 30th following a sharp drop in COVID-19 cases.
However, due to the recent spike in COIVID-19 cases, specifically through the omicron variant, the Governor and the leaders of the Senate and the Assembly came together to return the supplemental sick leave in 2022. While the proposed sick leave largely follows the 2021 boundaries, a few significant changes have been added for the 2022 proposal.
Workers and teleworkers who caught COVID-19, are experiencing symptoms, are caring for a child or other family member with the virus, are getting the vaccine or booster, are experiencing symptoms from getting the vaccine, or are quarantining will get up to two weeks of supplemental days off once again. And, like 2021, the 2022 sick leave would retroactively extend from January 1st to September 30th. Once again, the law would apply only to those companies with 26 or more employees.
Businesses, who would be the ones paying for the sick leave out of pocket once again, demanded more concessions for the 2022 sick leave proposal, noting that many are still struggling and that the loss of workers under the program last year had hurt many business as a result. For the 2022 proposal, in addition to the return of business tax credits and the small business relief grant program, employers would only need to give 40 hours of paid leave for COVID without question, with the other 40 hours requiring a positive COVID test. Part-time workers would also go from receiving two weeks to getting an equivalent amount based on the number of hours worked each week.
The return of COVID paid sick leave
Governor Newsom said on Tuesday that he hopes that the legislation would be passed soon, as the leave is needed now due to the number of Californians already running out of paid sick days.
“California’s ability to take early budget action will protect workers and provide real relief to businesses reeling from this latest surge,” said Newsom at the press conference on Tuesday. “Throughout this pandemic, we have come together to address the immediate impacts COVID-19 continues to have on millions of California families, both at home and at work. By extending sick leave to frontline workers with COVID and providing support for California businesses, we can help protect the health of our workforce, while also ensuring that businesses and our economy are able to thrive. We will continue to work to address additional needs of small businesses through the budget – they are the backbone of our communities and continue to be impacted by COVID-19.”
Labor Unions, which had pushed for the return of the legislation also due to the spike in new COVID cases and employees already running out of sick days, praised the return of the supplemental paid sick leave days.
“California’s unions are fighting tooth and nail to ensure that no worker has to choose between going to work sick or feeding her family,” explained California Labor Federation executive-secretary treasurer Art Pulaski. “The labor movement supports the proposal announced by the governor and legislative leadership to extend COVID paid sick leave, providing much-needed relief to essential workers and their families. Not only does this measure protect workers, it’s vital to tamping down the surge and keeping schools and businesses open.”
Business leaders, however, were still disappointed by the probable return of the sick days, despite gaining more concessions this time.
“It hurt companies last year because they had to pay these days off themselves, something which they didn’t anticipate,” said Lincoln Taylor, a payroll advisor for multiple small businesses in California. “And again, essentially giving all employees 1-2 weeks more of paid days off is going to wreak havoc. Tax credits, loans, grants, and this years proof of COVID only go so far. At the end of the day, these businesses are still shelling out cold hard cash for these days off. Except for those in current hiring snags right now, especially those who rely on minimum wage workers, companies would be generally in favor of more sick days if they didn’t have to pick up the bill, as a healthier workforce is generally better. But the bill isn’t directly compensating them.”
“Whenever people ask how California can hurt businesses so much, it’s the little things like this. Sadly, it looks like it will continue.”
The new legislation is expected to be fast tracked as part of Newsom’s early budget actions, with approval expected soon.
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More regulations on businesses…yeah keep peddling that
am sure Texas, Arizona, Idaho, and others will agree that is what CA should do for them to increase businesses to their state.
Newsom doesn’t get out much, does he? lol For him not to know the jig is up, the vax causes the variants, and everyone has moved on to ‘live with it’, is surreal. Even OSHA has withdrawn it’s mandates. He’s hellbent on keeping people ‘sick’ (Munchausen by Proxy?), beholden to and dependent on the government, and bleeding businesses.
Marilyn, you’re so right. It’s as though the man is nothing more than a pathetic drug addict with nothing else on his mind. He needs that POWER FIX the same way a heroin addict splayed out in a BART tunnel needs HIS fix. The thought of not getting it is making Newsom more desperate and grasping and loony than ever.
Comrades
Fret……gonna run out of deep pockets……quickly…..so sad……..
Covid sick leave needs to become permanent. With the recent increase in cases due to the deadly Omicron variant, the need for permanent leave is necessary. The recent emergence of a new variant of Omicron shows that this pandemic is going to last for years. It should not be necessary for the governor and legislature to have to renew the sick leave annually. So it should be made permanent.
Businesses need to stop complaining as they always have more money and high profits that they never disclose. Thankfully the governor sees right through that.
There’s a new term / name for Chicken Littles like you. They’re called Branch Covidians with Tony Fauci as their presiding President. All of you have drank the Kool-Aid…!!
Can you please, and I am asking nicely, provide me data about businesses, especially small businesses, that have more money and higher profits that they never disclose..?? I’m not talking about Alphabet, Meta, Apple, Intel, etc..!! I’m talking about small restaurants, mom & pop stores, independent gas stations, small tire shops, and other ones like this list.
I know bars and restaurants that have closed because of Newsom’s restrictions, and I also know a Chrome Plating Shop that can’t find workers and so they are backlogged about 90 days behind on manufacturing/shipping Big Rig bumpers. They barely got any Federal or State COVID Relief Funds. Oh, and one of the owners passed away due to COVID a little over a year ago.
Put up or shut up about Businesses hiding their profits as you claim.
Look at what this troll is saying in his robot voice. What is he talking about? Is he going for parody? If so he’s not doing it very well. I wish he had more talent because if it were better we could at least get a good laugh out of it. Unfortunately he’s just a dullard looking for negative attention.
Ha, it is a robot voice. Even in a written post you can tell it is an uneducated human retyping something he found on the internet. Who knows, maybe one of the CA home schooled but not really home schooled left with nothing to do and nothing to gain. Invalid.
You talk Stacy. Conservatives like you are among the most uneducated people in the world.
You’re poor grammar clearly shows your lack of education.
Dear Dear Comrades
No need being nasty to trolls….only fools don’t see Communism ruins lives and economies…..ignore…..bad grammar and all….
Stacy obviously hit a nerve and you’re being petty as usual, W12345. I’m sorry you are consumed by hate, though. You should take the advice to drop your hatred for your own benefit and peace of mind. Also grammar criticism coming from somebody who can’t distinguish “you’re” from “your” is rather amusing.
No! When I provide sources of my information you and the other right wingers just shoot it down as msm garbage. You are close minded. You will not listen to anyone whose opinion is different from your own.
Many of my co-workers are ecstatic with the governor’s actions. Covid is a raging pandemic that will go on for years. The Covid paid leave is valid and necessary!
Comrade Troll
Gonna run out of money soon…..tell your office chums…..scary huh?
Thanks for the confirmation that you appear to be a Union member. You’re probably a SEIU dues paying member and possibly a SEIU representative.
All of the sudden, ALL of your comments and praising of Newsom reminds me and my wife of the SEIU Organizers we were forced to deal with at our State and Local Agency jobs.
SEIU-1000 or another Union..???
True comedy right there – When is your next gig?
Let’s remember Covid19 did not kill businesses. The government’s capricious diktats did.
Let’s remember that the government assured us all that the vaccines were 95% effective and would put an end to SARS-COV-2.
Let’s remember the government said, “just stay in your home for 2 weeks to slow the spread. Fourteen days has turned into 700 days for many people.
It is consensus we have entered into an endemic. The virus is here to stay in a weaker form. It basically will be a cold for the healthy. Stay home get well, no argument. Two additional weeks, ridiculous.
You know if Newsom thinks it is so needed then let him find a way to pay for it with government funds. If he can find a billion dollars to pay for Chinese BYD surgical masks then he can find the money for this!
The government now needs to step back and let us get back to business.
I ask those who promote the mRNA shot as an effective therapeutic which will lessen symptoms, then why such a need to force an additional paid 2 week sick leave? Especially with a supposed 70% compliance rate in this state!
I can only think of one nefarious reason, to break the small businesses that managed to hang on for the last 2 years.
It is estimated that 60% of small businesses have permanently closed in the country with the west coast being hit the hardest.
https://www.ktvu.com/news/draftone-year-later-how-covid-killed-businesses
Small business is the backbone of our economy.
https://cdn.advocacy.sba.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/23142641/2019-Small-Business-Profiles-CA.pdf
Let’s remember Covid19 did not kill businesses. The government’s capricious diktats did.
Let’s remember that the government assured us all that the vaccines were 95% effective and would put an end to SARS-COV-2.
Let’s remember the government said, “just stay in your home for 2 weeks to slow the spread. Fourteen days has turned into 700 days for many people.
It is consensus we have entered into an endemic. The virus is here to stay in a weaker form. It basically will be a cold for the healthy. Stay home get well, no argument. Two additional weeks, ridiculous.
You know if Newsom thinks it is so needed then let him find a way to pay for it with government funds. If he can find a billion dollars to pay for Chinese BYD surgical masks then he can find the money for this!
The government now needs to step back and let us get back to business.
I ask those who promote the mRNA shot as an effective therapeutic which will lessen symptoms, then why such a need to force an additional paid 2 week sick leave? Especially with a supposed 70% compliance rate in this state!
I can only think of one nefarious reason, to break the small businesses that managed to hang on for the last 2 years.
It is estimated that 60% of small businesses have permanently closed in the country with the west coast being hit the hardest.
Small business is the backbone of our economy. As evidenced at cdn-advocacy-sbc-gov. At the SBC website type in California profiles for the breakdown.
Newsom’s mandate is killing people (knowingly). Here’s how…
[Must Watch] ABSOLUTELY FRIGHTENING! A Doctor Explains What The Three Experimental Vaccines
Do To The Human Body: 100% Of All Animals That Participated In The Study For These Vaccines Died
worthypolitics.com
BOMBSHELL: Nurse testifies that none of the millions of covid patients died from covid, they died from
medical mal-practice… hospitals were made to follow government orders that led to the deaths of millions
of people
From: World Doctors Alliance TG
More money stolen for the fake virus that never was.