This PML is superseded by the HR Manual and is no longer active.
PML Number
2016-002
Title
Wounded Warriors Transitional Leave Act – Sick Leave
Date Issued
January 15, 2016
Owner
Personnel Management Division
Contact
Personnel Services Branch
(916) 323-3343
PSB@calhr.ca.gov
Signed By
Bryan Baldwin, Chief
Content
This memorandum provides direction to all departments regarding Senate Bill 221, which enacted the Wounded Warriors Transitional Leave Act and amended Government Code section 19859. 
This law grants eligible state officers or employees, hired on or after January 1, 2016, 96 hours of sick leave to be used for the treatment of a military service-connected disability.  To qualify, the employee must be a military veteran with a military service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
Departments are required to inform employees hired on or after January 1, 2016, of this sick leave entitlement.  Eligible employees are required to submit a verification letter to their personnel office in order to receive the sick leave credit.  A verification letter may be requested from any United States Department of Veterans Affairs office by calling (800) 827-1000 or accessing a Veterans Affairs eBenefits account.
The 96 hours of sick leave shall be credited and available for use by the qualifying employee on their first day of employment, and is not prorated based on time base.  The sick leave shall remain available for use for the following 12 months, and any unused hours will expire thereafter. For example, a qualifying employee hired on January 6, 2016, may begin using the sick leave entitlement on January 6, 2016, and will forfeit any unused hours effective January 6, 2017.
Departmental personnel offices are responsible for developing and implementing a method to track the credit, use and expiration of this sick leave entitlement, which shall be maintained separate from any other sick leave balance. A separate leave type will not be available for users of the State Controller’s Office’s California Leave Accounting System.  Here is a sample tracking form for use by departmental personnel offices.
For questions related to this PML, state department personnel office designated liaisons should contact CalHR’s Personnel Services Branch by emailing questions to mailto:PSB@CalHR.ca.gov or calling (916) 323-3343.