SACRAMENTO, CA – The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California today applauded Governor Newsom for signing SB 616 (Gonzalez) into law, a bill that will expand the number of paid sick days guaranteed to California workers each year from three to five.
“Every single working person and especially working parents know that three sick days are not enough,” said David Huerta, President of SEIU California and of SEIU United Service Workers West (USWW). “No one wants workers to come to work sick, but that’s exactly what happens when workers face the prospect of losing a large part of their pay. We applaud Governor Newsom for signing this bill and expanding sick leave for all.”
“This is a huge win for workers who have struggled to access adequate paid sick time. We never know what can come up in our lives,” said Ingrid Vilorio, a Jack in the Box worker. “A sick child. Emergency surgery. Serious illness. Going from 3 to 5 paid sick days is a very important lifeline for working families across the state. Now, workers will no longer have to worry about how to make the month’s rent or how to keep food on the table while recovering from illness or caring for a loved one. We thank Gov. Newsom for standing up for workers and signing SB 616.”
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