If your employee handbook hasn’t been updated since 2024, it’s not a shield—it’s a target. California’s 2026 labor laws introduce real changes to how leave is earned, used and communicated. That means your policies can no longer simply “generally cover” time off or sick leave. They need to match what the law now requires. Here’s what to revise before something slips through the cracks.
Start with the new sick leave requirements
As of 2026, you must offer at least 40 hours or five days of paid sick leave per year, and you need to clearly explain how that leave is tracked, accrued and carried over. If your handbook still references the old 24-hour minimum or uses unclear accrual methods, you’re taking on a compliance risk. You also need to show how sick leave is calculated for both part-time and full-time employees. If your language only applies to one type of worker, fix that now.
Add the expanded list of protected leave uses
You can no longer limit sick leave to just illness or caregiving. In 2026, California law allows employees to use paid sick time for jury duty, court appearances as victims or witnesses and certain legal proceedings tied to violent crimes.
If your handbook says employees can only use leave when “sick” or “caring for family,” that language puts you at risk. The law also protects workers from discipline or retaliation when they use leave for these reasons, so make sure your policy spells that out, not just for the employee’s sake, but for yours if you ever need to enforce other attendance rules.
Include reproductive loss and bereavement leave
California now requires up to five days of protected leave for reproductive loss events and another five for bereavement. These aren’t optional, and they don’t overlap with other types of leave. You need to define what qualifies, when employees can take the time and how the leave works if the employee already used other PTO.
Reproductive loss can include miscarriage, failed surrogacy or a failed adoption. These are situations that often carry emotional weight but don’t always appear in older leave policies. If you haven’t updated your definitions since 2022 or earlier, you’ve fallen behind.
Add the new written notice requirement
California requires employers to give all employees a written notice about their paid sick leave rights, not just during onboarding, but every year. If your handbook doesn’t explain how this notice goes out or who handles it, add that language now. Most violations don’t happen because of bad intent; they happen when no one knows who owns the task. This small update can help you avoid a costly investigation down the line.
Update your handbook today
These changes have already taken effect or will hit within the year, which means you’re either in step with California’s labor laws or behind. Updating your handbook isn’t just about checking a box; it’s how you set expectations, protect your team and avoid conflict before it starts. If even one of your leave policies feels out of sync with what the law now requires, this is the right moment to fix it, before someone else points it out for you.