Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 1,
2017, after more than a year of waiting, the Berkeley, CA paid sick
leave ordinance goes into effect. The ordinance provides
extraordinarily generous paid sick leave benefits to employees
beyond those provided by the California statewide paid sick leave
law.
A little over a year ago, on August 31, 2016, the City of
Berkeley, California enacted the "Paid Sick Leave
Ordinance." Berkeley will be the eighth California city with
such an ordinance.1 Because California's statewide
paid sick leave law does not supersede local ordinances, employers
must reckon with both the state and local laws, and follow the one
that most favors employees. With the October 1 effective date fast
approaching, employers with employees in Berkeley should take steps
now to ensure their policies and practices comply with the
impending law.
