Los Angeles - A Better Balance

Overview of Paid Sick Time Laws in the United States:
Los Angeles

Updated on October 13, 2020

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	Los Angeles
Who is covered? Note: City/county paid sick time laws cannot cover state government workers, and city, county, and state paid sick time laws cannot cover federal government workers.	Workers who, in a particular week, perform at least 2 hours of work within the geographic boundaries of Los Angeles and who are entitled to minimum wage under California law are covered. To be entitled to paid sick time, workers must also work in Los Angeles for the same employer for 30 days or more within a year from the commencement of employment.
Can sick time be used to care for loved ones?	Yes: children; parents; grandchildren; grandparents; spouses; registered domestic partners; parents of a spouse or registered domestic partner; siblings; and any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the worker is the equivalent of a family relationship.
How is “child” defined?	Biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild, legal ward, or the child of a worker standing in loco parentis to the child
Can sick time be used for specific “safe time” purposes (related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking)?	Yes, but only when the worker is the victim.
Can sick time be used under the law to bond with a new child and/or deal with a family member’s death? Note: It is possible that other laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act or a state equivalent, could provide eligible workers with unpaid leave for these purposes.	No
Can sick time be used when a worker’s place of work or child’s school/place of care is closed by public health officials for a public health emergency?	No.
Rate at which workers earn paid sick time?	1 hour for every 30 hours worked
Do workers have different sick time-related rights based on the size of their employer? If so, based on what employer-size threshold(s)?	No
Amount of paid sick time that can be earned under the law per year? (Note: All of these paid sick time laws make it clear that these laws establish a minimum requirement, and employers can provide greater or more generous paid sick time benefits to their workers.)	Up to 48 hours a year
When do workers begin to earn paid sick time?	On the first day of employment. A worker is entitled to use paid sick time beginning on the 90th day of employment. As noted earlier, the law covers a worker when the worker works in Los Angeles for the same employer for 30 days or more within a year from the commencement of employment.
Does unused sick time carry forward to the subsequent year?	Workers are entitled to carry forward unused paid sick time to the following year, but employers may cap it at 72 hours.
Private Right of Action to go to Court?	Yes
Are there waivers/ exemptions for workers covered by a valid Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)?	No specific language regarding waivers or exemptions for workers covered by a CBA.
What Agency or Official Enforces the Law?	Los Angeles Office of Wage Standards (within the Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Contract Administration)
For the statewide paid sick time laws: can cities in the state pass paid sick time laws that are broader than the state law?	N/A
Statutory Citation(s)	Los Angeles Code § 187.00 et. seq. and § 188.00 et. seq.
Additional Notes	For more information, see httpss://wagesla.lacity.org/.