Sick Leave Laws in King City: A Comprehensive Guide for Employers
Discover the specific sick leave obligations for employers in King City, California, and how they align with state regulations
every industry needs a leader
•
empower the leader in you
•
every industry needs a leader • empower the leader in you •
Yes, employers in King City, California, are required to provide paid sick leave to their employees. This obligation stems primarily from state-wide California law, specifically the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, which has undergone significant updates. While some California cities have their own local sick leave ordinances that provide more generous benefits than the state minimum, there is no specific municipal ordinance for King City that mandates a higher sick leave requirement than the state law. Therefore, employers in King City must comply with the California state law.
California's Paid Sick Leave Law: The Fundamentals
Effective January 1, 2024, California's paid sick leave law mandates that employers provide at least 40 hours or five days of paid sick leave per year, whichever is greater. This was an increase from the previous requirement of 24 hours or three days.
Key aspects of the state law include:
Eligibility: Most employees who work for the same employer for at least 30 days within a year in California are eligible. This includes full-time, part-time, and temporary workers.
Accrual Methods: Employers can choose to provide the full amount of sick leave upfront at the beginning of the year ("frontloading") or allow employees to accrue it over time. The standard accrual method is one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. If an accrual method is used, employees must have access to at least 24 hours of sick leave by their 120th day of employment and 40 hours by their 200th day.
Usage: Employees can typically begin using accrued sick leave after 90 days of employment. The leave can be used for a wide range of reasons, including:
Diagnosis, care, or treatment of an existing health condition, or preventative care for the employee or a family member.
Needs related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking (e.g., seeking medical attention, counseling, or legal protection).
As of 2025, agricultural employees can also use it to avoid smoke, heat, or flooding stemming from local or state emergencies, and victims of crimes can use it for related needs like obtaining restraining orders or testifying in court.
Carryover and Caps: Accrued but unused sick leave must carry over to the following year, though employers can cap the total amount of accrued leave at 80 hours (or ten days). Employers who frontload the full amount of sick leave are generally not required to allow carryover.
Notice and Documentation: Employers must display a workplace poster outlining sick leave rights and provide employees with notice of their available sick leave balance on their pay stubs. While employers cannot deny leave solely due to lack of medical verification, they may request documentation in certain circumstances.
Anti-Retaliation: Employers are strictly prohibited from retaliating against an employee for using or attempting to use their paid sick leave.
Local Ordinances and King City
While many larger California cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland have enacted their own paid sick leave ordinances that provide benefits exceeding the state minimum, King City does not appear to have a specific municipal ordinance that imposes additional sick leave requirements on employers beyond those mandated by California state law. Therefore, businesses operating in King City must ensure full compliance with the statewide Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act. It is always advisable for employers to regularly check with the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and local government resources for the most up-to-date information on labor laws.
Information published to or by The Industry Leader will never constitute legal, financial or business advice of any kind, nor should it ever be misconstrued or relied on as such. For individualized support for yourself or your business, we strongly encourage you to seek appropriate counsel.
