StartEaseState and city paid sick leave laws: official government pages
Which states and cities have paid sick leave laws, and the official government page for each one, so employers can read the exact rule for every place their employees work.
Is paid sick leave required by federal law?
No. The U.S. Department of Labor says there are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave. The rules come from states, cities and counties. The place where the employee works decides which rule applies, and a city rule can add to a state rule.
How to use this page
- Find every state where your employees work in the first table.
- Then check the second table for the cities and counties they work in.
- Open the official page and read how leave is earned, used, carried over and paid, and which employers it covers.
- Compare it with your sick policy in StartEase. See Paid sick leave policy: how to set it up.
States with a paid sick leave law: official pages
If a state is not listed, we have not found an official state page for a statewide paid sick leave law for private employers. Check the state labor department, and check the city or county too.
Cities and counties with their own sick leave rules
| State | City or county | Official page |
|---|---|---|
| California | Los Angeles | Office of Wage Standards |
| California | San Diego | Office of Labor Standards and Enforcement |
| Illinois | Chicago | Business Affairs and Consumer Protection: paid leave and sick leave |
| Illinois | Cook County | Paid leave ordinance and regulations |
| Maryland | Montgomery County | Office of Human Rights: guidance for employers and employees |
| Minnesota | Bloomington | Earned sick and safe time |
| Minnesota | St. Paul | Labor standards: earned sick and safe time |
| New Mexico | Bernalillo County | Employee Wellness Act |
| New York | New York City | Department of Consumer and Worker Protection: paid safe and sick leave |
| Oregon | Portland | City Code Chapter 9.01, protected sick time |
| Pennsylvania | Philadelphia | Paid sick leave information |
| Pennsylvania | Pittsburgh | Office of Equal Protection: Paid Sick Days Act |
| Washington | Seattle | Office of Labor Standards: paid sick and safe time |
| Washington | Tacoma | Minimum employment standards |
This list is not complete. Other cities and counties have rules too. If your employees work in a place not listed, search that city or county's official website.
Common questions
What if a state and a city both have a rule?
Read both official pages. Each one says who it covers and how it works alongside the other.
Which rule covers a remote employee?
Start with the place the employee actually works from, and read that state's and city's official page: each one says who it covers.
Can our PTO policy count as paid sick leave?
Check the official page: it says whether a PTO policy can be used to meet the rule. Then ask your payroll team before relying on it.
There are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave. For employers covered by the FMLA, the Act requires unpaid leave for certain medical situations. State, city and county rules are on the official pages above.
Sources (government sites):