On March 31, 2023, Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 emergency proclamation and orders that have been in place since March 2020, will officially end. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors made this unanimous decision on February 28, 2023, in light of the recent progress in the COVID-19 pandemic. The official end of Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 emergency will directly impact the status of employee COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave and Paid Vaccine Leave, both of which expire on April 14, 2023.
Supplemental Paid Sick Leave
In March 2020, the Los Angeles County COVID-19 Worker Protection Ordinance was issued, establishing supplemental paid sick leave for employees at businesses located in the unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County that employ 500 or more individuals nationally. In January 2021, this ordinance was expanded to employers in incorporated parts of Los Angeles County as well. The ordinance currently provides covered full-time employees with up to 80 hours of supplemental paid sick leave due to COVID-19 related reasons. The obligation to provide this Supplemental Paid Sick Leave will end on April 14, 2023.
Paid Vaccine Leave
In May 2021, the Los Angeles County Employee Paid Leave for Expanded Vaccine Access Ordinance was adopted. This ordinance granted full-time employees with up to 4 hours of paid leave to travel to, receive, and recover from each COVID-19 vaccination and applies to all private employers in unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County. The obligation to provide this Paid Vaccine Leave will end on April 14, 2023.
Continuing Employer Obligations Even though Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave and Paid Vaccine Leave will soon expire, employers in Los Angeles County will still be responsible for maintaining safe environments for employees and must continue to follow workplace safety and health regulations to protect workers. Continuing employer obligations include complying with the Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Non-Emergency Regulations and current orders by the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. Hunton Andrews Kurth stands ready to assist employers as these regulations continue to evolve and disband.