S.F., San Jose OK sick leave for large firms

Elected bodies in San Francisco and San Jose approved emergency paid sickleave ordinances applying to companies with more than 500 employees Tuesday, and supporters called on the state to follow suit.

“We’re looking to Gov. Newsom and the California Legislature to establish paid sick leave” for workers who are not covered by the federal stimulus package approved last month, said Kate O’Hara of the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy at a Tuesday morning news conference. “It’s not hyperbolic to say that the actions being taken today could have lifeanddeath impacts.”

The stimulus package extends such coverage for 14 days to employees of firms with between 50 and 500 workers, but it exempts companies with more than 500 workers. The San Jose City

Council and San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors Tuesday voted to broaden the requirement to all firms, and extend them to include workers who need such leave to care for children or parents.

Both ordinances would apply to anyone working within city limits for such a company, even if they’re at a small branch office. It also includes gig employees such as drivers for Uber and Lyft.

A similar proposed ordinance is expected to be introduced at Oakland’s next City Council meeting

The online news conference included Keven Adams, a San Francisco security guard. He described working at a bank last week where one elderly patron required physical assistance.

“I had to break that 6foot (social distancing) range because they were disabled, and I’m proud to do this,” Adams said. “But if I had to quarantine myself, how would I pay my rent?”

Several advocates used the region’s early efforts to contain the spread of COVID19 as a model for why the local measures can have larger impact.

“This is commonsense legislation to help flatten the curve and save lives,” argued Maya Esparza of the San Jose City Council. “I’m hoping this action will push the momentum to have it done on a statewide level, as the Bay Area did with shelter in place.”

In both cities, the proposed legislation includes businesses with 50 employees and under — not allowing them to plead hardship, as does the stimulus bill.

The San Francisco ordinance was introduced by Supervisor Gordon Mar.

“We need to help people keep both economically and physically healthy,” Mar said before the vote on the ordinance. It passed unanimously and will go into effect once it is signed by Mayor London Breed, who already has signaled support.