Garcetti Expands LA's COVID Paid Leave Policy To More Workers
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Mayor Eric Garcetti released details Thursday of his updated COVID-19 emergency order that expands the city's paid leave benefits to more workers.
The new policy, which was announced during Garcetii's Wednesday briefing, ensures paid leave benefits for residents who have worked at least 60 days at businesses and nonprofits with more than 500 employees in L.A., or more than 2,000 employees nationwide.
"No one should lose their job or wages to quarantine at home to stop the spread of this virus," Garcetti said.
"L.A.'s supplemental paid leave policy delivers a clear message to working Angelenos: We will help protect your paychecks while all of us do our part to defeat COVID-19."
Employees can take paid leave if they were exposed to COVID-19, are assisting elderly family members or are caring for relatives who may be infected.
The previous ordinance ensured the benefits for workers who became employed at their company or nonprofit on or before Feb. 3, 2020.
The policy was a supplement to a federal program for employees of businesses or nonprofits with 50 to 500 employees. That initiative expired at the end of 2020, and Garcetti, along with President Joe Biden, urged Congress to renew it.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)