California paid sick leave
Under the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act, employees accrue 1 hour per 30 hours worked, up to 80 hours a year.
Informational, not legal advice. Checked against Congressional Research Service report R48921 and the state's own labour department. Statutes change every session — confirm against the primary source linked below before setting a policy. Last verified 18 August 2026.
The rule, in detail
| Accrual rate | 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
|---|---|
| Annual accrual cap | 80 hours |
| Annual use cap | 40 hours |
| Carryover | Permitted, capped at 80 hours |
| Frontloading allowed | Yes |
| Waiting period before use | 90 days |
| Employer size threshold | All employers |
| Payout on termination | Not required |
| Effective from | 1 January 2024 |
Notes
Accrual cap 80 hours; use may be capped at 40 hours (5 days) a year. Frontloading 40 hours is an alternative to accrual.
Covered reasons
- Employee illness
- Family care
- Preventive care
- Domestic violence
- Designated person
Apply this in PTODesk
Pick “California statutory sick leave” when creating a policy and these values are filled in for you, including the remainder carry that partial hours require.
Try for freeWhat that works out to
“1 hour per 30 hours worked” is the statute's wording. Here is the same rule as an annual number, which is what you actually need in order to budget for it or to check a balance someone is disputing.
A full-time employee · 40 hours a week
69.33 hours a year
2,080 hours worked ÷ 30 = 69.33 hours
A half-time employee · 20 hours a week
34.67 hours a year
1,040 hours worked ÷ 30 = 34.67 hours
A new full-time hire earns their first full eight-hour day of sick leave after roughly 6 weeks of work, though it cannot be used until day 90 of employment — the hours accrue during that window even though they are not yet available.
Frontloading instead of accruing
California lets you skip accrual tracking by granting the full entitlement — 40 hours at the start of the year. It is less administration, and it usually costs more: a leaver in March keeps what an accruing employee would never have earned. Frontloading also normally removes the carryover obligation, so the two decisions are linked rather than separate.
How California compares
California uses the most common accrual denominator in the country — one hour per 30 hours worked — which 13 other mandate states share. If you already run a compliant policy in one of them, the accrual maths carries over; the caps and carryover rules are where they diverge.
| State | Accrues 1 hour per | Annual cap |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 30 hours | 56 hours |
| Arizona | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| California | 30 hours | 80 hours |
| Colorado | 30 hours | 48 hours |
| Connecticut | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Maryland | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Massachusetts | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Michigan | 30 hours | 72 hours |
| Minnesota | 30 hours | 48 hours |
| Nebraska | 30 hours | 56 hours |
| New Jersey | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| New Mexico | 30 hours | 64 hours |
| New York | 30 hours | 56 hours |
| Oregon | 30 hours | 40 hours |
| Rhode Island | 35 hours | 40 hours |
| District of Columbia | 37 hours | 56 hours |
| Illinois | 40 hours | 40 hours |
| Maine | 40 hours | 40 hours |
| Washington | 40 hours | None |
| Nevada | 52 hours | 40 hours |
| Vermont | 52 hours | 40 hours |
City rules inside California
A local ordinance can be more generous than the state floor, and where it is, it wins for employees working in that city. Somebody who splits their week between two locations is the case that catches employers out.
- San Francisco 1 hour per 30 hours worked
Common questions
How much paid sick leave do employees earn in California?
Employees accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Over a full-time year that is about 69.33 hours; at half time it is about 34.67 hours.
Is there a cap on how much sick leave can be accrued in California?
Yes. Accrual stops at 80 hours in a year. Anyone working more than 2,400 hours in the year reaches that ceiling and earns nothing further until the next accrual period.
Does unused sick leave carry over to the next year in California?
Yes. Unused hours roll into the following year, up to 80 hours. Carryover is separate from the annual cap, so a balance can be larger than one year of accrual.
Do employers have to pay out unused sick leave in California when someone leaves?
No. Unlike accrued vacation in many states, unused sick leave is generally not payable on separation here. A more generous company policy can still create the obligation, so check what your handbook promises.
When can a new hire start using sick leave in California?
Accrual begins on the first day of work, but use can be withheld until day 90 of employment. The distinction matters: hours are being earned during the waiting period even though they cannot yet be taken.
Can we frontload sick leave instead of accruing it in California?
California lets you skip accrual tracking by granting the full entitlement — 40 hours at the start of the year. It is less administration, and it usually costs more: a leaver in March keeps what an accruing employee would never have earned. Frontloading also normally removes the carryover obligation, so the two decisions are linked rather than separate.
Does California sick leave apply to part-time employees?
Accrual is tied to hours worked, not to job title, so part-time employees earn at the same 30-hour rate — they simply reach the total more slowly. Someone working 20 hours a week accrues roughly 34.67 hours across a year.