SACRAMENTO Calif. Paid leave and nutrition disclosure measures advanced in California after gaining the approval of the State Assembly on Thursday. Assembly Bill 2716 would require employers to pay the salaries of some full- and part-time employees who take leave time to deal with illnesses or certain crises. AB 2572 would oblige chain restaurants to post nutrition data in a variety of ways. Both now move to the state Senate.
AB 2716 would allow workers in California to accrue one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked for up to nine days a year. Businesses with fewer than 10 workers would have to provide up to five days of paid leave a year.
Under the bill, workers could begin taking paid leave after 90 days of employment in order to care for their own illness or that of a relative, or to recover from domestic violence or a sexual assault. The law would apply to both full-time and part-time workers.
The nutrition disclosure measure, which has the support of the California Restaurant Association, would require restaurants with at least 20 other outposts in the state to post calorie, fat, carbohydrate and sodium information for each standard menu item. Restaurants would have flexibility, however, in how they display the information. The bill specifically lists menus, food packaging, table tents, tray liners, posters, brochures and electronic kiosks as acceptable means for posting nutrition data.
The CRA lauded the nutrition disclosure bill in a statement issued late Thursday, saying "the flexibility in how this information is provided to guests will alleviate an unnecessary burden while achieving the desired result."
In addition, CRA president Jot Condie said the statewide measure would prevent operators from having to struggle with "a patchwork of local regulations."
One such local regulation is in San Francisco. In March, the city's Board of Supervisors passed a labeling law that will require local units of chains with at least 20 units in the state to display the calorie, fat, carbohydrate and sodium content of every item on their menus. Places that use a menu board instead of a conventional menu must post the calorie count of each item, but they can make the other information available through other media, including brochures or posters. The law goes into effect in July.
Menu labeling requirements have been gaining support nationwide. Disclosure requirements have been passed in New York City and in King County, Wash., where Seattle is located. Other states and municipalities are considering their own labeling laws, and legislation at the federal level has been introduced.
