So does this provide sick leave for companies that only offer vacation (paid time off) but no actual sick leave? Or are employees working at those places given

So does this provide sick leave for companies that only offer vacation (paid time off) but no actual sick leave? Or are employees working at those places given the middle finger again and told to use their vacation days that don't exist (the WA sick leave act is like this)? Also, what does a business with < 50 employees have to do to get exempt? Is there a deadline to apply? Or will we have to wait to get sick only to find out that we're given the middle finger and can't take it because our company is going to exempt itself?