Sick Leave and Federal Law
Federal law does not require employers provide employees with paid sick leave. Additionally, employers are not required to provide employees unpaid sick leave, unless the employee qualifies for such leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), or other similar federal laws.
Sick Leave, Family Medical Leave, and State Law:
Only Connecticut and the District of Columbia require employers to provide employees paid sick leave. There are no states that require employers to provide employees with paid. Additionally, most states do not have any laws requiring employees to provide any form of unpaid sick leave, although some do. All employers, regardless of their states laws regarding sick leave, must comply with any federal sick leave requirements.
The states with laws requiring employer to provide unpaid sick leave generally have laws similar to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Both California and Washington have created state funds that compensate employees in certain situations where leave is required due to illness or the birth or adoption of a new child.
The states with laws providing for unpaid sick leave and/or family medical leave and links to information about those laws are listed below:
| California | Minnesota | Vermont |
| Connecticut | New Jersey | Washington |
| Hawaii | Oregon | Wisconsin |
| Maine | Rhode Island |
State specific pages containing Sick Leave laws:
Back To Top