California Paid Sick Leave Law
✓ Verified against official sources · September 1, 2026 Cal. Lab. Code §§ 245–249 (Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act)
The short answer: California requires paid sick leave for nearly all employees: accrual of at least one hour per 30 hours worked, with a usage floor of 40 hours or five days per year and an accrual cap of 80 hours or ten days.
Accrual rate
1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed)
Annual amount
Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days
Employers covered
Nearly all employers, regardless of size
Penalty for non-compliance: Enforced by the Labor Commissioner; violations can carry administrative penalties, reinstatement of leave, and back pay under Lab. Code § 248.5.
Under the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act (Lab. Code §§ 245–249), California employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave per 30 hours worked. Since January 1, 2024, an employer may limit use to 40 hours or five days per year, whichever is more — the DIR's example: an employee working 10-hour days is entitled to use 50 hours — and may cap total accrual at 80 hours or ten days. Frontloading the full amount at the start of each year avoids accrual and carryover math.
Coverage is nearly universal regardless of employer size, and sick leave is not paid out at separation (unlike vacation) — but if an employee returns within a year, previously accrued sick leave must generally be reinstated. Several California cities (San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, and others) layer stricter local ordinances on top.
For employersSince January 1, 2024 the usage floor is 40 hours or five days — whichever is more for the employee's schedule. A 10-hour-a-day worker's five days means 50 hours.
For employeesYou accrue paid sick leave from day one and can use it starting your 90th day; unused accrued time carries over, subject to the 80-hour accrual cap.
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California FAQ
Is sick leave paid out when employment ends in California?
No — unlike accrued vacation, sick leave doesn't have to be cashed out at separation. But an employee rehired within one year generally gets previously accrued, unused sick leave reinstated.
Can a California employer front-load sick leave instead of tracking accrual?
Yes — providing the full amount (at least 40 hours or five days) at the start of each year satisfies the law without accrual tracking or carryover.
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Official sources
CA DIR — Paid Sick Leave (official guidance)
Primary source for this page
California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR / Labor Commissioner)
California labor agency
Educational content, not legal advice. Rules change — every fact above was checked against the linked official sources on the date shown.
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How other states compare
| State | Accrual rate | Annual amount | Employers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+) | All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line |
| Arizona | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hours (15+ employees) / 24 hours (under 15) | All employers — the cap varies by size |
| California | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed) | Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days | Nearly all employers, regardless of size |
| Colorado | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year (+80-hour PHE supplement when declared) | All employers — full-time, part-time and temporary employees |
| Connecticut | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year; 40 hours carryover | 11+ employees now; every employer from Jan 1, 2027 |
| District of Columbia | 1 hour per 37 / 43 / 87 hours worked, by employer size | 7 days (100+) / 5 days (25–99) / 3 days (≤24) | All D.C. employers — tiered by headcount |
| Illinois | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose | Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded) |
| Maine | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year — usable for any reason | More than 10 employees in Maine for 120+ days a year (non-seasonal) |
| Maryland | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs | All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer |
| Massachusetts | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per calendar year | All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below |
| Michigan | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (frontloading allowed) | Use up to 72 hrs/yr — 40 hrs at small businesses (≤10 workers) | All employers with one or more employees |
| Minnesota | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover | All employers with one or more employees |
| Missouri | None — the mandate was repealed effective Aug 28, 2025 | No state requirement — employer policy controls | No Missouri employer is required to provide sick leave |
| Nebraska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked, after 80 hours of employment | 40 hrs (11–19 employees) / 56 hrs (20+) | 11+ employees — employers with 10 or fewer are exempt |
| Nevada | 0.01923 hours per hour worked (≈1 per 52; frontloading allowed) | ≈40 hours per benefit year for full-time work — any purpose | Private employers — under-50-employee hardship and other carve-outs |
| New Jersey | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 40 hours advanced up front) | Up to 40 hours per benefit year; 40 hours carryover | All New Jersey employers, regardless of size |
| New Mexico | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 64 hours frontloaded Jan 1) | Use up to 64 hours per year; 64-hour carryover | All private employers, regardless of size |
| New York | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 56 hrs paid (100+) / 40 paid (5–99) / 40 unpaid (0–4, ≤$1M income) | Every NY employer — the tier sets paid vs. unpaid and the cap |
| Oregon | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 1-1/3 per 40) | Up to 40 hours per year | All — paid at 10+ employees, unpaid under 10 |
| Rhode Island | 1 hour per 35 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year | Paid at 18+ employees; smaller employers provide unpaid leave |
| Vermont | 1 hour per 52 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period | All Vermont employers |
| Washington | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | No annual cap — leave is usable as accrued; 40-hour carryover | All employers covered by the Minimum Wage Act |
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