California Sick Leave Law 2026: SB 616 Requirements for Employers

California’s paid sick leave requirements changed significantly when Senate Bill 616 took effect on January 1, 2024, amending the 2014 Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act. The law raised the statewide minimum from 3 days (24 hours) to 5 days (40 hours) of paid sick leave per year and introduced updated rules for how leave must accrue, carry over, and be tracked.

As of 2025, virtually all employers with employees in California are required to comply with SB 616. The only explicit exclusion is railroad carrier employers. If you have not yet audited your sick leave policy against the current requirements, this guide covers what the law requires today and the steps to take to ensure compliance.

California Paid Sick Leave Requirements Under SB 616

SB 616 raised California’s paid sick leave minimums as follows:

	Before SB 616	Under SB 616 (Effective Jan 1, 2024)
Minimum leave per year	3 days / 24 hours	5 days / 40 hours
Accrual rate	1 hour per 30 hours worked	1 hour per 30 hours worked
Carryover limit	Up to 48 hours	Up to 40 hours
Annual use cap	3 days / 24 hours	5 days / 40 hours
Pay stub balance disclosure	Required	Required

Employers must provide a minimum of 40 hours (5 days) of Paid Sick Leave per year. According to the new policy:

Employees are still required to be provided 24 hours (3 days) of Paid Sick Leave time by the 120th day of employment.
Employees are required to be provided an additional 16 hours of Paid Sick Leave by the 200th calendar day of employment (for a total of 40 hours).
If employers use the accrual method, any remaining accrued paid sick time must carry over to the next calendar year, year of employment, or 12-month period. Employers may limit this carry-over to 40 hours.
Employers may limit the use of sick time to 40 hours (or 5 days) for each calendar year, year of employment, or 12-month period.

For employers who utilize an accrual model instead of offering a lump sum, employees must accrue at least one hour of Paid Sick Leave for every 30 hours worked.

Employees are entitled to paid sick days if they work in California for the same employer for 30 or more days within a year from the start of their employment.

Employers must provide written notice to employees about the amount of Paid Sick Leave they have available, such as including their current balance on their pay stubs.

Any local cities’ Paid Sick Leave ordinances that provide a lower minimum than the new state minimum are superseded.

The text of the law also provides extensive information on how new changes to California Paid Sick Leave apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, defines protections against retaliation, outlines how the law applies to businesses with alternative accrual methods, and more.

Four Steps to Keep Your Business Compliant with California’s Sick Leave Law

California labor law is ever-changing, and businesses that operate in the Golden State must keep on top of the shifting legal landscape to ensure their operations can continue to run smoothly and in compliance.

Carefully review and update your current sick leave policies and ensure they align with California’s new statewide requirements.
Confirm your employee handbook reflects current California paid sick leave requirements and that all employees have received an updated copy.
Train your HR staff and specialists to ensure everybody understands the new requirements and how to administer them.
Seek counsel from HR and labor law experts if necessary to ensure your practices and policies fully comply with SB 616.

If you have questions about your sick leave policy or need support bringing your practices into compliance with SB 616 and current California requirements, LFV HR Consulting is here to help. Contact us to schedule a free HR assessment.