Need to know
State-Mandated
Sick Leave
During the pandemic, we went through so many changes. In the past, granting paid sick leave was at the employer’s discretion in the private sector. While employees are covered for long-term leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), but, there’s nothing in writing that requires a private employer to pay for short-term illness. In the last year there have been a growing movement of laws being created at state and local levels designed to protect employees.
Why are states mandating sick leave?
During COVID employees had the dilemma of choosing between going to work sick and infecting their co-workers, or calling in sick and potentially losing pay and, in the worst-case scenario, even their jobs.
Which states have mandatory retirement plans?
Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Washington, D.C. have mandatory paid sick leave laws.
Sick Pay Legislation State by State
Arizona
Arizona requires all employers to provide employees with paid sick leave, except to casual babysitters and employees who work for the state or federal government or a parent or sibling.
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California
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Statewide Law |
Most employees who work in California for at least 30 hours a year are entitled to accrue one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked and use 24 hours or three days a year. |
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Berkeley |
Berkeley has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city. |
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Emeryville |
Emeryville has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city. |
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Long Beach |
Long Beach requires paid leave for all hotel employees. |
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Los Angeles |
Los Angeles has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city and has special requirements for hotel employers. |
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Oakland |
Oakland has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city. |
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San Diego |
San Diego has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city. |
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San Francisco |
San Francisco has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city or county of San Francisco. |
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Santa Monica |
Santa Monica has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city. |
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West Hollywood |
West Hollywood has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with hotel workers in the city, effective Jan. 1, 2022, and all employers with workers in the city, effective July 1, 2022. |
Colorado
Colorado employers with at least 16 employees must provide paid sick leave to employees beginning Jan. 1, 2021, and all other employers must offer such leave beginning Jan. 1, 2022.
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Connecticut
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Employers with at least 50 employees in Connecticut (with some exceptions) must provide paid sick leave to nonexempt service workers. |
Maryland
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Statewide Law |
Maryland requires employers with at least 15 employees to provide paid sick leave, and employers with 14 or fewer employees must provide unpaid sick leave. |
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Montgomery County |
Most employers in Montgomery County are required to provide paid sick leave to employees who work in the county. |
Massachusetts
Most employers are required to provide paid sick leave to employees who primarily work in Massachusetts. The law has exceptions for employees of the federal government, Massachusetts cities and towns, and some educational institutions.
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Michigan
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Statewide Law |
Most private employers with at least 50 employees must provide their nonexempt employees in Michigan with paid sick leave. |
Nevada
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Statewide Law |
Most private employers with at least 50 employees in Nevada must provide paid leave accruals at a rate of 0.01923 hour for each hour of work performed. Leave broadly can be used for any reason, including vacation time. |
New Jersey
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Statewide Law |
Most employers are required to provide paid sick leave to workers in New Jersey, though the law has exceptions for construction workers who are covered by a collective bargaining agreement and per-diem health care employees. |
New Mexico
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Many employees in New Mexico will be provided up to 64 hours of leave a year starting July 1, 2022. |
New York
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Statewide Law |
Most employers with five or more employees or a net income of more than $1 million must provide paid sick leave to employees in New York. Employers with four or fewer employees and a net income of $1 million or less must provide unpaid sick leave. |
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New York City |
New York City has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city. |
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Westchester County |
Westchester County has additional paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the county. |
Oregon
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Statewide Law |
Most employers with at least 10 employees must provide paid sick leave to workers in Oregon. Employers with at least six employees must provide such leave if they have operations in Portland. Smaller employers must provide unpaid leave. |
Rhode Island
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Statewide Law |
Most employers with at least 18 employees must provide paid sick leave to workers in Rhode Island. Smaller employers must provide unpaid leave. |
Vermont
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Statewide Law |
With some exceptions, Vermont provides paid sick leave to employees who work in the state for a weekly average of 18 hours or more during the year. |
Washington
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Statewide Law |
Many employees in Washington are entitled to earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. |
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SeaTac |
A special law applies to the transportation and hospitality industries in the city of SeaTac, which surrounds the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. |
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Seattle |
Seattle provides additional paid sick leave through a tiered system based on employer size. |
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Tacoma |
Tacoma has paid-sick-leave requirements for employers with workers in the city. |