Glossary — Hr compliance

Paid sick leave

State or local laws requiring employers to provide paid time off for employees' or family members' health needs.

Definition

About 18 states plus DC plus many cities have paid sick leave laws requiring employers to provide paid time off for employees' own illness, family member care, or domestic violence-related needs. Accrual rates, caps, eligible uses, and carryover rules vary by jurisdiction.

Some jurisdictions have separate accrual laws stacked on top — e.g., Chicago Paid Sick Leave + Cook County Earned Sick Leave + Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act all apply to a Chicago employer simultaneously.

PEOs handle paid sick leave accrual across multi-state and multi-city employer footprints automatically — applying the most generous of any applicable rules in each location.

Common questions about Paid sick leave

State or local laws requiring employers to provide paid time off for employees' or family members' health needs.

About 18 states plus DC plus many cities have paid sick leave laws requiring employers to provide paid time off for employees' own illness, family member care, or domestic violence-related needs.

Most PEO buying decisions touch several related concepts at once. Paid sick leave typically comes up alongside the other terms in this category. Closely related terms include Paid family and medical leave, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

Browse the full PEO glossary

This is one entry from our PEO glossary covering payroll, benefits, workers comp, HR compliance, and PEO mechanics. Browse all terms.

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