- Know your state’s rules: Voting leave requirements vary widely — some mandate paid time off, others unpaid, and several include posting or notice obligations.
- Review and update practices annually: State laws change frequently — conduct a yearly compliance review ahead of each election cycle.
- Remember remote workers: Voting leave laws generally
Susan E. Groff
Susan E. Groff is a principal in the Los Angeles office of Jackson Lewis P.C. She is co-leader of the firm’s California Advice and Counsel resource group. The group delivers legal and practical guidance to assist employers in navigating what are frequently multi-disciplinary issues.
Susan counsels management on a host of labor and employment issues, including wage and hour laws, disability and leave management, harassment and discrimination complaints, workplace investigations, reductions in force, litigation avoidance, and discipline and termination questions.
Due to California’s nuanced and numerous disability and leave requirements, Susan dedicates much of her practice to advising employers on federal and California requirements for disability accommodation and protected leaves of absence. Importantly, she partners with employers not only on these technical disability and leave laws, but also on practical solutions in handling the same.
Susan also provides guidance to employers on California’s challenging wage and hour laws. In addition to day to day advice, she assists with employer audits, compensation plan reviews, and policies in this area.
School Is Back in Session—Don’t Forget About Possible California Leave Entitlements for Parents
As kids head back to school, California employees with children may need time off for various reasons from school-related activities to kids who are sick. Here are reminders of the California leave entitlements for parents and caregivers.
Learn more here.
California’s Paid Sick Leave Requirements Increased Effective 2024
On October 4, 2023, California’s Governor signed Senate Bill (SB) 616, which increases the amount of paid sick leave employers are required to provide to California employees.
Beginning on January 1, 2024, employers must increase the amount of sick leave provided to California employees from three days/24 hours to five days/40 hours.
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California State Grant Program for COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
The COVID-19 State of Emergency may be over but many employers are still feeling the economic effects of the pandemic. In 2022, when COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) was extended for the final time, the legislation also provided for a grant program for certain businesses to offset the costs of providing SPSL.
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Look Who’s Back? California COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Extended Until Year End with Potential Grants
California has extended COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) through December 31, 2022. On September 29, 2022, California’s Governor signed Assembly Bill (AB) 152 which amends the existing SPSL law and provides for state grants to certain employers.
Read more here.
Bereavement Leave Now Protected in California
On September 29, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1949, which amends the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) to require covered employers to provide eligible employees with 5 days of bereavement leave.
Read more here.
Paid Family Leave Grant for Small Employers
California’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) program, which is administered by the Employment Development Department (EDD) provides eligible employees with up to 8 weeks of wage replacement benefits when an employee is off work for certain qualifying reasons.
Read more here.
California COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Becomes Law Again
On February 9, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 114 which resurrects COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) for 2022.
The following are answers that employers need to their questions regarding the latest edition of California SPSL.
When does SPSL become effective?
SPSL becomes effective February 19, 2022, 10 days after enactment.…
California Legislature Proposes COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave, Again
In late January, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that he and the legislature had reached an agreement on a framework to revive COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL), which expired in September 2021. However, there was no bill and only speculation on what coverage would look like.
On February 2, 2022, Assembly Bill 84…
A Refresher on the California Family Rights Act
At the start of 2021, California’s family and medical leave law, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), expanded its coverage to apply to smaller employers—from employers with 50 or more employees to those with just 5 or more employees. More recently, during the 2021 legislative session, California’s governor signed legislation to add “parent-in-laws” under the…