Independent Contractor Compliance Blog

SACRAMENTO-A bill that would have made it mandatory for all California employers to provide sick leave for any employee (including part-time, seasonal and temporary workers) who had been on the job for at least 90 days was killed this week in the Appropriations Committee.

The bill was introduced by: Assembly Members Laird, Swanson, and Torrico and State Senators Cedillo, Kuehl, and Wiggins.

It was agreed we need to make hiring workers in California more attractive, not more expensive…

The bill ran into strong opposition from the California Chamber of Commerce, businesses throughout the state, and even with state bureaucrats.  All opponents believed the bill would unreasonably expand an employer’s costs and liabilities at a time when California needs to make hiring employees more attractive.

CalChamber Policy Advocate Marti Fisher pointed out, “California’s employers are already struggling with rising energy, health care and regulatory costs in the midst of a challenging economy. This bill would cause employers to make tough decisions that would hurt California workers and cost jobs.”

It would hurt California’s economy.

Thomas Sheehy, deputy director of legislation for the California Department of Finance, also opposed the bill, telling Senate Appropriations on August 4^th that, “…Because this bill would impose a significant burden on California employers at a time when efforts are being made to stimulate job growth and to improve California’s business climate, we can’t support this measure.”

It could still happen someday.

The bill has been put to rest for now, but it has been my experience that once these ideas get a footing in the legislature, they tend to show up again.

Keep watching-we will.