State Required Paid Sick Leave by State
Last Updated on December 16, 2023 by G. T. HR
State paid sick leave is becoming a key HR focus area for HR professionals. States and municipalities are becoming more aggressive in instituting state required paid sick leave requirements. Effective January 1, 2024, there are 15 states plus the District of Columbia that have required paid sick leave laws. In addition to these, there are also municipalities that have required paid sick leave laws. With these frequent changes, it is becoming increasingly important HR professionals monitor their states on an ongoing basis.
Below is a chart that shows a summary of each state and the District of Columbia that currently has a required paid sick leave law. Please note there are other states that may have required paid leave, but it is not limited to use for sick leave. Also, this is a summary so please review the laws in your state if they are applicable.
States with Required Paid Sick Leave
| State | Applicable Employers | Accrual | Annual Maximum |
| Arizona | All employers in Arizona must comply | 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked | Small employers (with fewer than 15 employees) – 24 hours per year; Larger employers (15+ employees) – 40 hours per year |
| California | Employers with 1 or more employees that work more than 30 days a year in California | 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked | 24 hours or 3 days; unused sick leave may be carried over to the following year; annual accrual cap is 48 hours or 6 days |
| Colorado | All Employers | 1 hour for every 30 hours worked | 48 hours per year and 48 hours can be carried over each year |
| Connecticut | Employers with 50 or more employees in the state during the week containing October 1 must comply | 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked | 40 hours carry/use per year |
| Illinois (Effective 1/1/2024) | All Public and Private Employees | 1 hour for every 40 hours worked | 40 hours of paid leave per 12-month period to be used for any purpose |
| Maine | Employers with 10 employees in the regular course of business for more than 120 days in any calendar year | 1 hour for every 40 hours worked | 40 hours of paid leave in one year of employment |
| Maryland | Employers with 15 or more employees | 1 hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked or employer can choose to offer 40 hours at the beginning of the year | 64 hours per year |
| Massachusetts | All employers in Massachusetts must comply | 1 hour of earned sick time for every 30 hours worked; 40 hours may be carried over | 40 hours per year |
| Michigan | Employers with 50 or more employees in Michigan must comply | 1 hour of paid leave for every 35 hours worked (front loading is permitted) | 40 hours per year |
| New Jersey | All employers in New Jersey must comply. | 1 hour of earned sick leave for every 30 hours worked (front loading is permitted) | 40 hours per year |
| New Mexico | Private employer with at least 1 employee | 1 hour of earned sick leave for every 30 hours worked | 64 hours per 12-month period (employees can carry over unused sick leave) |
| New York | Private employer with 5+ employees or net income of more than $1 million | 1 hour of earned sick leave for every 30 hours worked (frontloading is permitted) | 100+ Employees – up to 56 hours 5 – 99 Employees – up to 40 hours 4 or fewer Employees and net income greater than $1 million – up to 40 hours 4 or fewer Employees and net income $1 million or less – up to 40 hours unpaid |
| Oregon | Employers with 10+ employees or employers in large cities with 6+ employees anywhere in the state | 1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked or 1.33 hours for every 40 hours worked (front loading is permitted) | 40 hours per year |
| Rhode Island | Employers with 18 or more employees in Rhode Island must comply. | 1 hour of paid leave for every 35 hours worked | 40 hours per year |
| Vermont | All employers in Vermont are required to comply with the Earned Sick Time law | 1 hour of earned sick time for every 52 hours worked (frontloading is permitted) | 40 hours per year |
| Washington | All employers must comply | 1 hour of earned sick time for every 40 hours worked | NA |
| Washington DC | All employers in Washington D.C. must comply with the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act | 100+ Employees – 1 hour for every 37 hours worked 25 -99 Employees – 1 hour for every 43 hours worked 24 or fewer employees – 1 hour for every 87 hours worked | 100+ Employees – 7 days 25 -99 Employees – 5 days 24 or fewer employees – 3 days |
Do You Have Questions?
Make sure that your business’s required state paid sick leave policies are in compliance by receiving a compliance review from MyHRConcierge. Learn more about this service with a free consultation. Begin by scheduling it below or contacting us at 855-538-6947 xt 108 or ccooley@myhrconcierge.com.