Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has updated his emergency order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by extending paid leave benefits to more workers exposed to the coronavirus, or caring for elderly family members or relatives with the virus. 

“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.”

The updated supplemental paid leave order now covers Angelenos who have worked at least 60 days at large businesses and nonprofits with more than 500 employees in the city or more than 2,000 employees nationwide. The mayor’s action builds on an ordinance passed by the Los Angeles City Council last March, and on an emergency order enacted last April, that ensures workers are granted two weeks of paid time off if they are infected with COVID-19, or to assist a relative who contracted the virus or is elderly.

The earlier ordinance and order applied to workers employed at a company or nonprofit on or before Feb. 3, 2020, at least one month prior to the declaration of the local emergency related to the pandemic. However, the orders did not apply to employees hired more recently, the mayor said. The updated order addresses the issue, in light of the ongoing pandemic, by applying the benefit to employees who have worked at a large business or nonprofit for at least 60 days, regardless of the date their employment began.

The city’s supplemental paid leave measure for employees of large businesses is a companion of a federal program for employees of businesses or nonprofits with between 50 and 500 employees. For information, visit wagesla.lacity.org.