SANTA MONICA—The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office issued a reminder on Thursday, March 12 to businesses to comply with minimum wage law that requires employers with 25 or fewer workers to provide a minimum of 40 hours paid sick leave. Employers with 26 or more workers are to provide their employees with 72 hours paid sick leave.

Santa Monica’s minimum wage law requires paid sick leave for full-time, part-time, and temporary employees. Local law prohibits retaliation against employees for exercising their right to sick leave and provides workers the right to file civil claims. Employers violating the law are also subject to administrative and criminal penalties.

On March 4, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and Department of Public Health declared a local and public health emergency in order to ensure effective mobilization of resources to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) further recommended that employers “ensure that your sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of these policies.”

For individuals who work in Santa Monica and have questions about your rights or want to file a complaint, contact the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) at (800) 593-8222 or email at wagehelp@dcba.lacounty.gov. Visit the city’s website for more information about the City’s minimum wage law: https://beta.smgov.net/strategic-goals/inclusive-diverse-community/minimum-wage-ordinance.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health recommended that all members of the public:

  • Stay home when you are sick.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
  • If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Limit close contact, like kissing and sharing cups or utensils, with people who are sick.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (not your hands).
  • Get a flu shot to prevent influenza if you have not done so this season.