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Board advances portable paid sick leave for domestic workers, calling it a national first
Summary
The Board passed on first reading an ordinance to create a portable paid-sick-leave system for domestic workers, administered by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development and designed with a domestic workers advisory group.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed on first reading an ordinance on Dec. 14 that would create a portable paid sick leave system for domestic workers — workers who often have multiple private individual employers and struggle to accrue and access traditional accrued sick time.
Supervisor Roni Ronan, who introduced the ordinance, said the system — operated by the Office of Economic and Workforce Development — would convene an advisory group of domestic workers and stakeholders to design program details and ensure the system fits workers’ needs. The ordinance requires hours and net pay rates to be tracked and calls for processes to transfer paid-leave payments while minimizing administrative burdens for workers and small employers. Staff and sponsors expect the system to be accessible by phone app.
Why it matters: Domestic workers frequently work split hours for multiple employers and rarely can access paid sick leave even where law entitles them to it. The measure aims to build a portable mechanism that lets workers draw from a single pool of leave even when they are employed by multiple households.
Support and legislative history: The ordinance was drafted with California Domestic Workers Coalition and the National Domestic Workers Alliance and received unanimous recommendation from the Budget and Finance Committee the week before the board’s full vote. Supervisor Ronan named multiple cosponsors during the floor presentation; supporters included supervisors Melgar, Walton, Preston, Chan, Safaie, Haney and Marr. She also thanked legal and policy staff and named advocates and community organizations involved in the drafting process.
What’s next: The ordinance passed on first reading unanimously and will return for final passage/action in accordance with the Council’s schedule; the Office of Economic and Workforce Development will convene the advisory group to design operational details.
Ending: Sponsors said they hope San Francisco’s model will be replicable in other jurisdictions for other categories of gig or multi-employer workers.
