Public Order Under City of Los Angeles Emergency Authority
Issue Date: April 7, 2020
Subject: Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Due to COVID-19
On March 27, 2020, the City Council passed an Ordinance (Council File: 20-0147-S39)
adding Article 5-72HH to Chapter XX of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, to provide
supplemental paid sick leave to workers affected by COVID-19. I applaud the City
Council for thinking boldly and acting quickly to pass supplemental paid sick leave,
enabling more Anglenos to be safer at home to stop the spread of this disease and care
for affected family members.
In the midst of this public health crisis and economic upheaval, we must also anticipate
that workers could suffer through layoffs if this City imposes excessive burdens and
costs upon businesses — many of which have ceased operations, lost customers, and
sustained catastrophic losses due to this pandemic. We must also ensure that City
regulations do not unintentionally cause staffing shortages at hospitals and critical
health facilities that are on the frontlines of our fight against this pandemic. In my
judgment, the modifications put into place by this emergency Order strike a necessary
balance of these interests, and I hope the City Council will consider amending its
ordinance with these provisions in the near future.
Until then, this Emergency Order will promote public health, protect jobs and preserve
economic stability.
Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Los Angeles
under the provisions of the Los Angeles Administrative Code, Chapter 3, Section 8.29 to
promulgate, issue, and enforce emergency rules, regulations, orders, and directives, I
hereby declare the following to be necessary for the protection of life and property and
order, effective immediately, during the emergency period, that Article 5-72HH of
Chapter XX of the Los Angeles Municipal Code be suspended during this local
emergency period and replaced and superseded with the following provisions: