I May be Sick or Exposed to COVID-19 What if I might be sick or have been exposed?
- What if I might be sick or have been exposed?
- What are my paid sick leave options?
- What if I was not paid for taking sick leave?
- What if I need to pay for medical treatment or cannot return to work?
- What if I am concerned about retaliation from my employer?
If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should not go to work. Find a testing site.
Common Symptoms
Symptoms of COVID-19 include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Chills
- Recent loss of taste or smell
- Muscle pain
- Congestion or runny nose
- Difficulty breathing
Read more on California’s website for COVID-19 Symptoms and Facts.
Notification
You should let your supervisor know if you think you have been in close contact with a COVID-19 case or if you have symptoms. Workers should stay home unless they need medical care. Employers must provide at least 5 days or 40 hours of paid sick leave per year to their employees in California.
Employees infected with COVID-19 and have symptoms must be excluded from the workplace as follows:
- Until 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications, AND
- Their symptoms are mild and improving.
Employees infected with COVID-19 who do not have symptoms do not need to be excluded. If symptoms develop, the criteria above will apply.
Note that for employees that have close contact with others who are COVID-19-positive during the infectious period, employers must review current CDPH and local health department COVID-19 orders and guidance.
February 2024