ARTICLE 3. Sick Leave [19859. - 19868.3.]

Cal. Government Code - GOV 3.

in effect

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19859. Section 19859.

(a) Following completion of one month of continuous service, except as otherwise provided in Section 19863.1, each state officer and employee who is employed full time shall be allowed one day of credit for sick leave with pay. Thereafter, for each additional calendar month of service, except as provided in Section 19861, one day of credit for sick leave with pay shall be allowed. Each state officer or employee is entitled to this leave with pay, on the submission of satisfactory proof of the necessity for sick leave as provided by rule of the department. For purposes of computing sick leave, each employee shall be considered to work not more than five days each week. The department shall provide by rule for the regulation and method of accumulation of sick leave for civil service employees, and may provide sick leave for those who work less than full time. Subject to department rule, sick leave may be granted to employees for the purpose of physical examinations. (b) (1) In addition to any other entitlement for sick leave with pay, a state officer or employee hired on or after, or employed on or after, January 1, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs shall be entitled to additional credit for sick leave with pay of up to 96 hours for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment, including mental health treatment, for his or her service-connected disability. Credit for sick leave granted under this paragraph shall be credited to a qualifying officer or employee on the effective date of the officer’s or employee’s disability rating decision from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or on the first day the officer or employee begins, or returns to, employment after active duty, whichever is later, and shall remain available for use for the following 12 months of employment. Sick leave credited pursuant to this subdivision that is not used during the 12-month period shall not be carried over and shall be forfeited. Submission of satisfactory proof that sick leave granted under this paragraph is used for treatment of a service-connected disability may be required pursuant to rules adopted by the department. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), credit for leave of absence for illness or injury granted under this subdivision shall be credited to an officer or employee on the date the officer or employee receives confirmation of submission of his or her disability application to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. When the officer or employee receives his or her disability rating decision from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, he or she shall report that information to the employer. If the officer’s or employee’s disability rating decision makes the employee ineligible pursuant to paragraph (1), the employer may change the leave of absence for illness or injury time used before the disability rating decision to an alternative leave balance. If the officer’s or employee’s disability rating decision makes him or her eligible pursuant to paragraph (1), the officer or employee shall be entitled to up to 96 hours, pursuant to paragraph (1), for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment, including mental health treatment, for his or her service-connected disability minus the time used before the disability rating decision, for the 12-month period beginning with the confirmation of submission of his or her disability application. (3) In addition to any other entitlement for sick leave with pay, a state officer or employee who serves as a member of the National Guard or federal military reserve force who is called up to active service and as a result sustains a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs shall be entitled to additional credit for sick leave with pay of up to 96 hours for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment, including mental health treatment, for his or her service-connected disability. Credit for sick leave granted under this paragraph shall be credited to a qualifying officer or employee on the effective date of the employee’s disability rating decision from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or on the first day that the qualifying employee begins, or returns to, employment after active duty, whichever is later, and shall remain available for use for the following 12 months of employment. Sick leave credited under this paragraph that is not used during the 12-month period shall not be carried over and shall be forfeited. Submission of satisfactory proof that sick leave granted under this paragraph is used for treatment of a service-connected disability may be required pursuant to rules adopted by the department. (c) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act. (d) Any sick leave credited pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be ineligible for conversion to service credit pursuant to Section 20963.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19859.3. Section 19859.3.

(a) Any permanent employee who is either excluded from the definition of state employee in subdivision (c) of Section 3513, or is a nonelected officer or employee of the executive branch of government who is not a member of the civil service, shall be granted bereavement leave with pay for the death of a person related by blood, adoption, or marriage, or any person residing in the immediate household of the employee at the time of death. The employee shall give advance notice to the employee’s immediate supervisor and shall provide substantiation to support the request. (b) For any one occurrence, the bereavement leave shall not exceed three days with pay. However, a request for two additional days of bereavement leave shall be granted, at the option of the employee, as either without pay or as a charge against any accrued sick leave credit. (c) If additional bereavement leave is necessary, the employee may use accrued vacation, compensating time off, or take an authorized leave without pay, subject to the approval of the appointing power.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19860. Section 19860.

The department may provide by rule for the regulation and accumulation of sick leave credits on an hourly basis for all or certain designated employees. The rate of accrual shall be substantially proportionate to eight hours per month, with amounts earned credited at the end of each month or substantially similar period.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19861. Section 19861.

(a) It shall be within the discretion of the department to define the effect of an absence from the payroll of 10 working days or less in any calendar month upon credit for sick leave. (b) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19862. Section 19862.

(a) Sick leave may be accumulated, and no additional sick leave with pay beyond that accumulated shall be granted, except as provided in Section 19863. 1. (b) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19862.1. Section 19862.1.

(a) The department may provide by rule for crediting to the sick leave account of an employee formerly employed in a state position exempt from civil service any unused sick leave standing to the employee’s credit at the time of separation from such a position; provided, the employee entered other state service not more than six months after separating from his exempt employment; and provided, such credit may not exceed the amount it would have been if such employment had been in the state civil service. (b) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if such provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19863. Section 19863.

(a) Except as provided in Article 4 (commencing with Section 19869), a state officer or employee who is or may be entitled to temporary disability indemnity under Division 4 (commencing with Section 3200) or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100) of the Labor Code shall receive any accumulated sick leave, or accumulated compensable overtime, or accumulated vacation, or accumulated annual leave for the absence. The appointing power shall decrease the charge of sick leave, or compensable overtime, or vacation, or annual leave in the amount of temporary disability payment received so that the state officer or employee shall not receive payment in excess of full salary or wage. If a state officer or employee does not wish to use his or her accumulated sick leave, or accumulated compensable overtime, or accumulated vacation, or accumulated annual leave, he or she shall notify his or her appointing power within 15 days after the injury is reported to the appointing power. After the 15 days his or her accumulations shall be used until the date he or she notifies the appointing power in writing that he or she no longer wishes to use the accumulations. When computing sick leave, or overtime, or vacation, or annual leave under this section the employee shall be given credit for any holidays that occur during the period of absence hereunder. He or she is nevertheless entitled to medical, surgical, and hospital treatment as provided in the Labor Code. When his or her accumulated sick leave, or overtime, or vacation, or annual leave, or all, are exhausted, he or she is still entitled to receive disability indemnity. (b) State officers and employees who are covered by Article 4 (commencing with Section 19869) shall be entitled to industrial and temporary disability benefits only as provided by that article. (c) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19863.1. Section 19863.1.

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of the law to the contrary, a state officer or employee who is entitled to temporary disability indemnity or vocational rehabilitation maintenance allowance under Division 4 (commencing with Section 3200) or Division 4.5 (commencing with Section 6100) of the Labor Code as a result of an industrial accident or injury shall earn sick leave and vacation leave or annual leave as though the employee was working. The state officer or employee who is receiving temporary disability or vocational rehabilitation maintenance allowance shall be permitted to supplement the payments with any form of leave credits. Supplementation of leave credits combined with vocational rehabilitation maintenance allowance shall not exceed the employee’s full pay less mandatory withholdings. (b) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19864. Section 19864.

(a) The department may provide by rule for sick leave or annual leave without pay for those employees who have used all sick leave or annual leave with pay to which they are entitled. (b) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, or Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 3560) of Division 4 of Title 1, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if such provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19865. Section 19865.

No state employee who is an inmate or member of any state institution and who is employed on a full or part time basis shall be entitled to receive pay for any absence attributable to sickness.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19865.1. Section 19865.1.

When an employee uses sick leave, vacation, annual leave, or any combination of these, because of an injury compensable under the Labor Code, and the state is reimbursed by a third person for its damages by reason of such use, there shall be granted, for credit to the employee’s sick leave or vacation or annual leave account, sick leave or vacation or annual leave equivalent to the amount so used or proportionately if reimbursement is only in part. If the state does not collect from the third person the full amount of the compensation paid and other damages for which it is liable to the employee and if the amount collected is not itemized so that there may be ascertained the amount collected in reimbursement for the sick leave or vacation or annual leave used, the sick leave or vacation or annual leave to be credited shall be in the same ratio to the sick leave or vacation or annual leave used as the total amount collected bears to the total amount of the state’s damages. “Sick leave” or “vacation” or “annual leave” as used in this rule includes sick leave or vacation or annual leave credit used to augment disability indemnity.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19866. Section 19866.

(a) The appointing power of any officer or employee not a member of the civil service shall administer the sick leave authorized by this part for the officers or employees in accordance with the rules of the department. (b) If the provisions of this section are in conflict with the provisions of a memorandum of understanding reached pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall be controlling without further legislative action, except that if the provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, the provisions shall not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19867. Section 19867.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the interests of the state would be served by the Department of Human Resources meeting and conferring with the exclusive representatives of the various bargaining units to discuss the establishment of long-term care benefits for state employees. (b) If long-term care insurance plans are not available to state employees within one year following the date on which any long-term care plan is first offered for enrollment by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System, state employees may enroll in the long-term care insurance plans offered by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System. (c) If subdivision (b) is in conflict with a memorandum of understanding entered into pursuant to Section 3517.5, the memorandum of understanding shall prevail and control without further legislative action, except that if the prevailing provisions of a memorandum of understanding require the expenditure of funds, these provisions may not become effective unless approved by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act. (d) The Department of Human Resources may enter into contracts with the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System to allow active eligible state employees, and their spouses and parents, to enroll in any long-term care insurance plans offered by the board of administration.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19868. Section 19868.

Any employee of the State Department of Health performing functions which, prior to July 1, 1973, were vested in the Department of Mental Hygiene and who is transferred on and after July 1, 1972, to county or local mental health programs as a result of state hospital closures or scheduled state hospital closures or as a result of a county undertaking the performance of mental health functions previously performed by the State Department of Health shall be entitled while employed in a county or local mental health program, to use for a period of five years following transfer any unused sick leave balance the employee had accumulated while in state employment and had remaining to his or her credit at the time of termination of state employment. Such sick leave shall be held in a reserve account by the state to be used, if necessary, only at such time as the transferred employee’s sick leave benefits accrued as a county employee become exhausted. When county sick leave benefits are exhausted such employee shall be entitled to utilize his or her state reserve account sick leave, until exhausted. The state reserve account for sick leave shall be administered according to the sick leave provisions of Division 5 (commencing with Section 18000) of Title 2 and corresponding department rules. Upon reemployment with the state, a transferred employee’s sick leave credits will be reduced by the number of hours used from the state reserve during his or her employment in the county or local mental health program. The cost of preserving and paying for the state reserve account sick leave shall be totally funded by the state.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19868.1. Section 19868.1.

For the purposes of Sections 19859, 19860, 19861, 19862, 19862.1, 19863, 19863.1, 19864, 19865.1, 19866, and 19868, sick leave benefits provided to state employees pursuant to the state sick leave system shall be construed to mean compensation paid to employees on approved leaves of absence on account of sickness.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19868.2. Section 19868.2.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, whenever sick leave benefits are provided to state employees pursuant to the state sick leave system, such benefits shall be construed to mean compensation paid to employees on approved leaves of absence on account of sickness.

Cal. Government Code - GOV § 19868.3. Section 19868.3.

Any employee of the State Department of Developmental Services performing functions which, prior to September 9, 1981, were vested in the State Department of Developmental Services, and who is transferred on or after September 9, 1981, to a regional center for the developmentally disabled as a result of a regional center undertaking the performance of developmental service functions previously performed by the department, shall be entitled, while employed in a regional center, to use for a period of five years following transfer any unused sick leave balance the employee had accumulated while in state employment and had remaining to his or her credit at the time of termination of state employment. This sick leave shall be held in a reserve account by the state to be used, if necessary, only at such time as the transferred employee’s sick leave benefits accrued as a regional center employee become exhausted. When regional center sick leave benefits are exhausted, the employee shall be entitled to utilize his or her state reserve account sick leave until exhausted. The state reserve account for sick leave shall be administered according to the sick leave provisions of this article and corresponding department rules. Upon reemployment with the state, a transferred employee’s sick leave credits shall be reduced by the number of hours used from the state reserve during his or her employment in the regional center. The cost of preserving and paying for the state reserve account sick leave shall be totally funded by the state.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026