HB 5005 expands the state’s paid sick leave program that applies to businesses with 50 or more employees that fall under the definition of “service worker” by phasing in over three years the requirement that employers with one or more employees provide leave to all employees.

The bill also removes the manufacturer exemption, expands the number of family members leave can be used to care for, and allows for the accumulation of 1 hour of leave for every 30 hours worked. Employees may begin to use the leave after 120 days of employment. Employers do have the option to allow employees to carry over leave or provide it all at the start of the next year. The law allows employees to retain sick leave balance when transferring job sites with the same employer or when there is a successor employer and makes it explicit that employees are not required to find a replacement worker for themselves should they need to use sick leave. Unfortunately, the bill also removes the ability for employers to ask for medical documentation to validate the reason an employee used sick leave and imposes requirements that employers retain records regarding employee paid sick leave usage for 3 years.