Under California law, paid sick leave accrual up to how many days, and when can it be used?

• A. 2 days; usable after 60 days
• B. 3 days (5 days beginning in 2024); accrual of at least 1 paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked; usable after the 90th day of employment
• C. 1 day per year; usable immediately
• D. No paid sick leave required by law

Answer: (B)

California's paid sick leave is earned as you work, not granted all at once. For every 30 hours you work, you earn one hour of paid sick leave. Employers must provide a minimum annual amount of paid sick leave—three days (which is 24 hours) or more, with a policy update making five days available starting in 2024. You can use the earned sick leave after you have completed 90 days of employment. This structure ensures you have time off for illness or preventive care, while the amount increases with longer tenure. For example, if you work 120 hours, you would have earned 4 hours of sick leave toward the annual total. The main takeaways are the accrual rate (1 hour per 30 hours), the total annual allotment (3 days, rising to 5 days in 2024), and the 90-day waiting period before you can use it.