California will become the fourth state to require paid leave for workers infected with the coronavirus. Similar rules remain in effect in Massachusetts, Colorado and New York, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Additionally, five other states — Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — have enacted paid sick leave laws that, although not specific to COVID, can be used for coronavirus leave .

Business groups have strongly opposed the laws, arguing that the government is forcing employers to pay for the pandemic.

But in another vote, California lawmakers are expected to approve multiple tax cuts for businesses on Monday that will save them about $5.5 billion.

The tax cuts were due to be implemented by the end of the year, but lawmakers will now vote on whether to bring them into effect a year earlier. The move has helped win support from business groups that had previously opposed paid sick leave laws because they said it would cost employers too much money.

Now, the California Chamber of Commerce says it supports the sick leave proposal as “a balanced approach to protecting workers and our economy.”

“Healthy employees and healthy customers are good for business,” said Jennifer Barrera, president and CEO of the California Chamber of Commerce.

California’s sick leave proposal provides up to a week of paid time off for workers who contract the coronavirus or are caring for a sick family member. They will only get a second week of vacation if they or their family members test positive. Employers must pay for and provide testing. The proposal applies only to companies with 26 or more employees and expires on September 30.

The omicron variant of the coronavirus has led to a dramatic increase in new cases and hospitalizations, mostly among the state’s unvaccinated population. The number of cases peaked in January, when the state’s seven-day average of more than 118,000 cases was the highest since the pandemic began.

Hospitalizations also increased, but did not exceed previous highs, suggesting that the omicron variant was less severe. Still, Newsom asked the legislature for more funding to deal with the surge.

Last year, lawmakers gave Newsom about $1.7 billion this year to fight the virus, and lawmakers will vote on Monday whether to give him another $1.9 billion.
The money will pay for things like testing, vaccine distribution and hospital staffing.

“I think it’s a testament to how much we don’t know,” said Erika Li, the California Department of Treasury’s chief deputy, when lawmakers approved the budget last year. “The Delta (variant) may have come, but the omicron has not. This is the state’s response to those public health crises.”