Employee are eligible to use paid sick leave if they are unable to work due to COVID-19 related reasons. | Unsplash/Brittany Colette
Employee are eligible to use paid sick leave if they are unable to work due to COVID-19 related reasons. | Unsplash/Brittany Colette
The City of Santa Rosa recently announced that it has temporarily reinstated employer provided COVID-19 related paid sick leave for anyone working within the city.
The new local urgency ordinance mirrors provisions of the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), except that it has been expanded to apply to all businesses within Santa Rosa city limits, regardless of size or sector.
Under the new ordinance, a full-time employee is entitled to 80 hours of paid sick leave, pro-rated for part-time employees.
Employees that have already used all of their sick paid sick leave under the FFCRA or previous city ordinance will not have their sick leave replenished.
Employee are eligible to use paid sick leave if they are unable to work due to COVID-19 related reasons including: Being subject to quarantine or isolation by federal, state or local order; being advised to quarantine or isolate by a health-care provider; or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking medical diagnosis. Paid sick leave for employees unable to work because of these reasons will be paid at the employer's regular rate up to $511 per day not to exceed $5,110 in total paid sick leave.
Employees that have to miss work to care for an individual who is quarantined or isolated, or otherwise unable to receive care due to COVID-19 or care for a minor child because a school or daycare is closed, or the child care provider is not available due to COVID-19 are also eligible for paid sick leave. Paid sick leave for employees unable to work to care for these reasons will be paid at two-thirds the employer's regular rate up to $200 per day not to exceed $2,000 in total paid sick leave.
Employers cannot deny sick leave or retaliate against employees for requesting or taking paid sick leave. If an employer refuses to provide the paid sick leave, an employee may file an action in court. If the employee prevails in court, the court can choose to award attorney’s fees for the court action as well.
Employers can download and print the Ordinance Notice in English and Spanish to post in employee break rooms or common areas.
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