OAKLAND – On February 9, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 114, legislation which extends COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave for workers.  In addition, he signed Senate Bill 113, early budget action to provide an additional $6.1 billion in tax relief, tax credits and direct grants for small businesses hit hard by the pandemic.

Previous legislation allowed State employees the opportunity to utilize COVID-19 Supplement Paid Sick Leave (up to 80 hours) for certain COVID-19 related absences.  However, under that previous legislation, the COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave expired September 30, 2021.

When the Administration laid out its plan for vaccination mandates at certain departments and mandatory testing for unvaccinated employees in August 2021, the California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) immediately expressed its concern that these mandates could lead to increased absences of CSLEA members and that warranted an extension of the COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave.  Although the leave expired on September 30, 2021, CSLEA continued to remain engaged with the Administration explaining the urgent need to extend the leave further.

SB 114, in part, extends and renews the use of 80 hours of COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave from January 1, 2022 through September 30, 2022.   As was done in 2021, CSLEA expects CalHR and the various State Departments to share protocols and instructions with their employees soon; including what needs to be done in order to retroactively use the leave dating back to January 1, 2022.  Once these protocols and instructions have been shared, please contact CSLEA if you have any questions regarding this leave or encounter any problems.

“Thank you, Governor Newsom for recognizing the need to extend our state’s COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave and as well as investing in California’s small businesses.  This has been an unprecedented time for all of us and we thank you for your leadership,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.

“As California continues to lead the nation’s economic recovery, today’s action deepens our commitment to supporting the workers and businesses that have sustained us all during this unprecedented pandemic and are driving our economy,” said Governor Newsom. “We’re ensuring that workers have the time they need to take care of themselves and their loved ones, expanding our nation-leading small business relief grant program and supporting the businesses whose innovation and entrepreneurial spirit help make California the 5th largest economy in the world.”

The Governor’s Office press release regarding the signing of these two bills can be found here.