California Paid Sick Leave Poster in Los Angeles, California (2026)
Without the California Paid Sick Leave Poster posted in a visible location, you face up to $50 per day in penalties from the California Department of Industrial Relations — plus employee complaints that can trigger audits. The California Paid Sick Leave Poster (also called the Paid Sick Leave Notice or Labor Code posting requirement) is mandated by California Labor Code § 246 and enforced by the state. Here are the facts: 17 fields total — ApronPrep auto-fills 14; no government filing fees (you print and post); timeline varies by when you need it ready. Most applicants complete this form in under 15 minutes with ApronPrep, which auto-fills 14 of 17 fields.
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Why You Need a California Paid Sick Leave Poster
The California Paid Sick Leave Poster is a mandatory workplace notice required under the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014, codified at California Labor Code §§ 245–249. The California Labor Commissioner's Office enforces this requirement and mandates that every employer — regardless of size — display the official poster in a conspicuous location where employees can read it during the workday. Los Angeles employers are subject to both the state statute and the Los Angeles Minimum Wage Ordinance (LAMC § 187.00 et seq.), which layered additional paid sick leave protections on top of the state baseline. Failure to post is treated as a separate, actionable violation from any underlying wage-and-hour offense, meaning the posting itself is not optional even if you believe your payroll practices are fully compliant.
Operating without the required poster exposes a Los Angeles restaurant to a compounding set of consequences. The Labor Commissioner can cite non-posting as evidence of willful non-compliance during any wage investigation — dramatically increasing exposure. Specific risks include:
- Civil penalties assessed by the California Labor Commissioner per violation, per employee, per pay period — contact the Labor Commissioner's Office to confirm current penalty amounts
- Back wages and interest owed to any employee who was not properly notified of their sick leave rights and therefore did not take leave they were entitled to
- Treble (triple) damages available to employees under California Labor Code § 248.5 in cases of willful retaliation or interference with sick leave rights
- Cease-and-desist orders and forced workplace audits triggered by a single employee complaint to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE)
- Insurance and lease implications — a Labor Commissioner citation can constitute a material breach under certain commercial lease agreements and may affect general liability coverage renewals
Not legal advice — verify current penalty schedules and local ordinance requirements with the California Labor Commissioner's Office or a qualified employment attorney.
Legal code: State minimum wage law, earned sick time law, tip law, workplace poster statutes, prevailing wage law
Recent update: As of January 1, 2024, California's paid sick leave entitlement increased from 3 days (24 hours) to 5 days (40 hours) under SB 616 — employers must ensure their posted notice reflects the updated accrual and usage caps, as older poster versions no longer satisfy the Labor Code § 247 posting requirement.
Who Needs a California Paid Sick Leave Poster?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Any employer in California with at least one employee must post the California Paid Sick Leave notice under California Labor Code § 247; full-service restaurants universally meet this threshold. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Bars and nightclubs employing at least one person in California are covered employers under California Labor Code § 245.5 and must display the Paid Sick Leave poster in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees. |
| Food Truck | Required | Mobile food facility operators who employ at least one worker are subject to the Healthy Workplaces Healthy Families Act (California Labor Code § 245 et seq.); the poster must be posted inside the truck or provided as a written notice if a fixed posting location is impractical. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Coffee shops and cafés with any employees are covered employers under California Labor Code § 247 and must post or distribute the Paid Sick Leave notice to all employees at the time of hire and keep it conspicuously displayed. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (17 Fields)
14 of 17 auto-filledHas California Employees
booleanSelect 'Yes' if your business employs one or more workers who perform any work in California, including part-time, temporary, or seasonal staff — California's Healthy Workplaces Healthy Families Act (Labor Code § 245 et seq.) applies to virtually all employers with California-based workers regardless of company headquarters location.
COMMON MISTAKE: Owners with a corporate office outside California sometimes select 'No' because they consider themselves an out-of-state employer — if even one employee works a shift at your Los Angeles location, the answer is 'Yes.'
Total Number of California Employees
numberEnter the total headcount of all employees who perform work in California, counting every worker regardless of hours, employment classification (full-time, part-time, per diem), or whether they are permanent or temporary — do not enter your nationwide corporate headcount.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering only full-time equivalents (FTEs) instead of the actual headcount — a restaurant with 12 part-time servers and 3 full-time cooks should enter '15,' not '3' or a converted FTE figure.
California Workplace Addresses
textEnter the full street address(es) of every California location where employees report to work or from which they are dispatched — include suite or unit numbers and confirm each address matches your city business license exactly.
COMMON MISTAKE: Listing the owner's home address or the corporate mailing address instead of the physical restaurant location(s) where employees actually work, which creates a mismatch with California Labor Commissioner records and can trigger a compliance follow-up.
Current Poster Status
selectSelect the option that accurately describes the state of your current posting: 'None,' 'Posted but outdated,' or 'Current 2026 version posted' — the California Labor Commissioner updated the required Paid Sick Leave poster for 2024 and employers must display the most current version, so 'Posted but outdated' is not compliant.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Current version posted' when the displayed poster was downloaded before January 1, 2024 — the 2024 amendments to the Healthy Workplaces Healthy Families Act expanded accrual rights, and pre-2024 posters do not reflect those changes.
Last Verification Date
dateEnter the most recent date on which you confirmed your posted version matched the current California Labor Commissioner–issued Paid Sick Leave notice — use MM/DD/YYYY format and check this date against the revision date printed in the footer of the poster itself.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this field blank or entering the original installation date rather than the last active verification date — auditors use this field to assess whether an employer has a reasonable compliance monitoring practice in place.
Understands Display Requirements
booleanSelect 'Yes' only after confirming you know the three core California display rules: the poster must be posted in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees, it must be posted in English and any other language spoken by at least 10% of the workforce at that location, and it must remain continuously displayed during all working hours.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' without accounting for the 10% language threshold rule — Los Angeles employers with Spanish-speaking staff comprising 10% or more of their workforce are legally required to post the Spanish-language version alongside the English version.
Planned Posting Locations
textDescribe the specific physical location(s) within your restaurant where the poster will be displayed — for example, 'employee break room bulletin board' or 'back-of-house hallway near time clock' — the California Labor Commissioner requires a 'conspicuous' location that employees can access without requesting permission from a supervisor.
COMMON MISTAKE: Noting a location that is accessible only during certain hours (e.g., 'manager's office') or behind a locked door — the poster must be visible and accessible to all employees during any shift, not just during business hours or management availability.
Poster Downloaded
booleanSelect 'Yes' only after you have downloaded the current official version of the Paid Sick Leave notice directly from the California Labor Commissioner's Office website (dir.ca.gov) — third-party or commercially printed versions must replicate the official content exactly and are the employer's responsibility to verify.
COMMON MISTAKE: Selecting 'Yes' after downloading a bundled poster from a third-party vendor without confirming the version date — if the vendor's file predates the 2024 amendments, the poster is non-compliant even if it was downloaded recently.
Download Date
dateEnter the date (MM/DD/YYYY) on which you downloaded the poster file from the California Labor Commissioner's website — this date serves as your compliance timestamp and should be on or after the effective date of the most recent revision listed in the poster's footer.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering today's date as a placeholder rather than the actual download date — if an audit compares this date against the poster's printed revision date and there is a discrepancy, it may suggest the displayed version is not the one actually downloaded.
Languages Required for Posting
textList every language in which you are required to post the notice — California Labor Code § 247 requires English plus any language spoken natively by 10% or more of employees at a given worksite; for most Los Angeles restaurants, this means English and Spanish at minimum, and may include additional languages such as Chinese, Korean, or Tagalog depending on your workforce composition.
COMMON MISTAKE: Listing only English when the workforce at the Los Angeles location includes a significant Spanish-speaking population — the 10% threshold is measured per worksite, not company-wide, so a single-location restaurant with 10 employees of whom 1 speaks only Spanish does not trigger the bilingual requirement, but one with 2 or more does.
ApronPrep auto-fills 14 of 17 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 California Paid Sick Leave Poster Mistakes
1. Displaying an Outdated Version of the Poster
Based on ApronPrep's analysis of California Paid Sick Leave Poster applications, the most frequent compliance failure is posting a version of the notice that predates the most recent legislative update — in California, sick leave accrual rules changed under SB 616, which took effect January 1, 2024, raising the annual accrual cap from 24 to 40 hours. Displaying the pre-2024 poster leaves your business exposed to a California Labor Commissioner complaint and potential civil penalties. Always download the current poster directly from the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) website and check the revision date printed in the footer before posting.
2. Posting Only the State Version Without a Required Local Supplement
Los Angeles has its own Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (LAMC § 187.04), which provides greater benefits than California state law — specifically, it covers employees who work at least 2 hours per week within city limits, a threshold more expansive than state coverage rules. Posting only the California DIR poster without the City of Los Angeles Office of Wage Standards (OWS) supplement puts you out of compliance with local law, even though the state poster is technically correct. Both documents must be displayed simultaneously in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees.
3. Posting in English Only When the Workforce Requires Other Languages
California Labor Code § 247 requires that the sick leave notice be posted in English and in any language spoken by at least 10% of the workforce at that workplace. Restaurants in Los Angeles commonly employ Spanish-speaking staff, making a Spanish-language posting legally mandatory in many cases — yet employers frequently omit it. The DIR and the City of Los Angeles OWS both publish translated versions of their respective posters at no cost; failure to post required translations can be cited as a separate violation during a wage enforcement inspection.
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California Paid Sick Leave Poster by City in California
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | ||
| San Diego | ||
| San Jose |
Timeline: Varies
Verify Current Paid Sick Leave Law Requirements
Review the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) website to confirm the 2026 paid sick leave accrual rates and notice requirements — these update annually. Los Angeles employers must post the official DIR-approved poster in a conspicuous location accessible to all employees. Check whether your business qualifies for exemptions (e.g., certain agricultural operations or businesses under 5 employees with specific caps).
Download the Official DIR Paid Sick Leave Poster
Obtain the most current California Department of Industrial Relations paid sick leave poster from dir.ca.gov — the state publishes updates in multiple languages (English, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean). Do not use third-party or outdated versions; the DIR poster is free and legally required. Verify the poster date matches the current year (2026).
Print and Format the Poster
Print the poster on 8.5" × 11" or larger paper in color if possible — legibility is a workplace inspection criterion. Laminate or use a poster frame to protect it from kitchen moisture and food handling areas. Ensure the text remains fully readable and not obscured by grease, moisture, or placement near food preparation surfaces.
Where to Apply
Applications go to the California department of labor. Local procedures and fees may vary — select your city below.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in California.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Alcohol Server Training Certification (RBS)
state
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsThe Paid Sick Leave Poster itself is not issued by a government agency — you obtain it directly from the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) or print an approved version from their website at no cost. Once you have the poster, posting it in your workplace is immediate; there is no application or approval process. However, if you need to verify compliance or coordinate posting with other requirements like the Business Tax Registration Certificate, allow time to complete those concurrent filings.
There are no government filing fees for the Paid Sick Leave Poster — California provides the poster free of charge through the Department of Industrial Relations website. You may incur costs only if you choose to purchase a professional-grade laminated version or custom signage from a third-party vendor, but that is optional and not a regulatory requirement. Not legal advice — verify current poster requirements with the California Department of Industrial Relations.
Yes — the Paid Sick Leave Poster itself is not location-specific and can be moved to a new restaurant location. However, California law requires the poster to be displayed in a conspicuous place where employees can easily see it, and you must ensure it remains current. If your new location requires separate filings (such as a new Business Tax Registration Certificate or health permits), those are separate processes; contact the Los Angeles Department of Public Health to confirm location-specific requirements.
The Paid Sick Leave Poster does not expire and does not require renewal — once posted, it remains valid as long as you comply with California paid sick leave law. However, the Department of Industrial Relations periodically updates the poster language to reflect changes in labor law; you should check the DIR website annually to ensure your posted version reflects current requirements. Contact the California Department of Industrial Relations or visit dir.ca.gov to confirm you have the most recent version.
There is no separate inspection process for the Paid Sick Leave Poster itself. However, labor compliance inspectors from the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) or Cal/OSHA may verify poster compliance during routine workplace inspections triggered by other violations or complaints. If the poster is missing, illegible, or outdated during an inspection, you may face a notice of violation requiring immediate correction; failure to post or update the poster can result in penalties. Contact the California Department of Industrial Relations to understand current citation practices and remediation timelines.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For California specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 17 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- State minimum wage law, earned sick time law, tip law, workplace poster statutes, prevailing wage law
- Los Angeles — Department of Labor / Labor Standards
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