Sick leave cheat sheet
Here's a quick guide to understanding which states and cities in the U.S. have laws for paid sick leave and/or mandated paid time off for any reason. This list will show you where workers have the right to take paid time off when they're sick. Let's take a look at these important regulations.
| Title | City* | Who is Eligible? * | Accrual Start, Usage Start, and Rate* | Minimum Accrual and Usage Caps Per Year* | Must Leave be Carried Over? * | Leave Paid Out at Termination? * |
| AK | Alaska (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 56 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 56 hours |
Yes, unused accrued leave must carryover from year to year | No |
| AZ | Arizona (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, unused leave up to 40 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CA | California (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 80 hours of leave carry over to the following year, if using the accrual method. If front-loading PSL, then no time is required to be carried over, but 40 hours must be deposited annually. | No |
| CA | Berkeley | Workers who perform at least 2 hours of work in the city of Berkeley | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use from: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 72 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, unused leave up to 72 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CA | Emeryville | Workers who perform at least 2 hours of work in the City of Emeryville | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 72 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, unused leave up to 72 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CA | Los Angeles | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 72 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 48 hours |
Yes, unused leave, up to 72 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CA | Oakland | Workers who perform at least 2 hours of work in the City of Oakland | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 72 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, accrued unused leave must be carried over to the following year. | No |
| CA | San Diego | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: All hours accrued at the rate of 1 hour for every 30 worked Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, unused leave, up to 80 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CA | San Francisco | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 72 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, unused leave up to 72 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CA | Santa Monica | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 72 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 72 hours |
Yes, unused leave, up to 72 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CA | West Hollywood (PTO, not limited to sick) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: After 120 Days of Employment, unless used for sick leave, then 90 days in accordance with state law. Rate: A Full-Time Worker must accrue at least 96 hours of Paid Time Off annually. 80 hours of unpaid Paid Time Off must be provided annually. |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 96 hours of paid leave and 80 hours of unpaid leave Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 48 hours |
Yes, unused paid and unpaid leave carries over each year. For unpaid leave, accrual stops when a worker's leave bank contains 80 hours. However, with paid leave, workers continue to accrue until their paid leave bank contains 192 hours. | Yes, PTO must be paid out at termination |
| CO | Colorado (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 48 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 48 hours |
Yes, unused leave, up to 48 hours carries over to the following year. | No |
| CT | Connecticut (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 120 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, unused leave up to 40 hours may rollover to the following year. Companies that opt to frontload a worker's annual paid leave balance will not be required to rollover hours | No |
| DC | Washington DC | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 37 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 56 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 56 hours |
Yes, any unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| IL | Statewide (PTO, not limited to using for illness) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: January 1, 2024, or first day of employment, whichever is later Eligible for Use From: 90 days after January 1, 2024 or after the first day of employment, whichever is later Rate: 1 hour for every 40 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, any unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| IL | Illinois Paid Military Funeral Honors Detail Leave (Statewide) | Workers with at least 12 months of service with the same company and 1,250 hours worked in the 12 months before the leave who are serving on a funeral honors detail. | Accrual Begins On: After 12 months of service consisting of at least 1,250 hours Eligible for Use From: Immediately once granted Rate: 40 hours of funeral honors detail leave per year are immediately granted once a worker is eligible. |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
No, it resets annually. | No |
| IL | Chicago (PTO and Paid Sick Leave) | Workers who perform at least two hours of work in Chicago in any two-week period | Accrual Begins On: July, 1, 2024, or first day of employment, whichever is later Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour of Paid Sick Leave AND Paid Time Off for every 35 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours per year of Paid Time Off for any purpose AND 40 hours of Paid Sick Leave per year for a total of 80 hours. Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, 16 hours of Paid Time Off and 80 hours of Paid Sick Leave must be carried over to the following year | Any earned Paid Time Off must be paid out at separation or transfer. Unused Paid Sick Leave is not required to be paid out. |
| IL | Cook County (PTO, not limited to using for illness) | Workers who work at least 80 hours in a 120-day period | Accrual Begins On: Date of Hire Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 40 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, any unused leave must be carried over to the following year | The value of unused paid leave must be paid out if it is credited to the worker's paid time off bank or vacation account. |
| MA | Massachusetts (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| MD | Maryland (Statewide) | Workers who regularly work more than 12 hours per week in the state of Maryland | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 106 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked. |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 64 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year. | No |
| MD | Montgomery County | All Full-Time Workers. Part-Time Workers are eligible only if they work over 8 hours per week | Accrual Begins On: First Day of Employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 56 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 80 hours |
Yes, up to 56 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| ME | Statewide (PTO, not limited to using illness) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 120 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 40 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | If the employer's policy or practice includes a payout upon termination, this must also be paid out upon termination |
| MI | Michigan (Statewide) | All Workers, except those who work fewer than 25 hours per week, those who work 25 weeks or fewer per year, and exempt employees | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment. If hired after February 21, 2025, Workers must wait 120 days. Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: No max Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 72 hours |
Yes, up to 72 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| MN | Minnesota (Statewide) | Workers who work at least 80 hours per year in Minnesota with the same employer | Accrual Begins On: January 1, 2024, or on the First Day of Employment, whichever is later Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Date: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 48 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 48 hours |
Yes, up to 80 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| MN | Bloomington | Workers who work at least 80 hours per year in the city of Bloomington with the same employer | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 hours worked within the boundaries of the city |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 48 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 48 hours |
Yes, up to 80 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| MN | Duluth | Workers who perform work in Duluth more than 50% of their working time in a 12-month period or are based in Duluth and spend a substantial part of their time working in the city and not more than 50% in any other particular place | Accrual Begins On: First Day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 50 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 64 Hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| MN | Minneapolis | Workers who perform at least 80 hours of work per year in the city of Minneapolis | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: First day of employment (as accrued) Rate: 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 48 Hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 48 hours |
Yes, up to 80 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| MN | St. Paul | Workers who perform at least 80 hours of work per year in the city of St. Paul | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 48 Hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 48 hours |
Yes, up to 80 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| NE | Nebraska (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: After 80 hours of consecutive employment Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 56 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 56 hours |
Yes, any unused accrued leave must be carried over | No |
| NJ | New Jersey (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 120 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| NM | Bernalillo County | Workers working at least 56 hours a year in the unincorporated County limits. | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per every 32 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 56 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 56 hours |
Yes, all accrued unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| NM | New Mexico (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: No max Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 64 hours |
Yes, all accrued but unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| NV | Nevada (PTO, Not just sick) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: .01923 hours of paid leave for every hour worked up to 40 hours per year |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| NY | Statewide (Paid Sick Leave) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 56 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 56 hours |
Yes, unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| NY | Statewide (Prenatal Personal Leave) | Full-Time and Pregnant Part-Time Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment, all 20 hours are automatically granted Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Rate: Workers receive 20 hours of paid leave |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 20 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 20 hours |
No | No |
| NY | New York City | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: First day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 56 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 56 hours |
Yes, up to 56 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| NY | New York City (Prenatal Leave) | Full-Time and Pregnant Part-Time Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of employment, all 20 hours are automatically granted Eligible for Use From: First Day of employment Rate: Workers receive 20 hours of paid leave |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 20 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 20 hours |
No | No |
| NY | Westchester County (Earned Sick Leave Law) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour per 30 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| OR | Oregon (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked or 1 1/3 hours for every 40 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, any accrued unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| PA | Allegheny County | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 35 hours worked. |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused must be carried over to the following year | No |
| PA | Philadelphia | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 40 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| PA | Pittsburgh | Workers who perform at least 30 hours of work per year in Pittsburgh | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 72 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 72 hours |
Yes, up to 72 hours if unused must be carried over to the following year, unless max accrual is front-loaded at the beginning of the year | No |
| RI | Rhode Island (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: Date of Hire Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 35 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, any accrued but unused up to cap amount must be carried over to the following year | No |
| VT | Vermont (Statewide) | Workers who regularly perform at least 18 hours of work per week | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: One year after first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 52 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: 40 hours Minimum Annual Usage Cap: 40 hours |
Yes, any unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| WA | Seattle | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First Day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 30 hours worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: No max Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, up to 72 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| WA | Tacoma | Workers who work more than 80 hours per year in the city of Tacoma | Accrual Begins On: First Day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 40 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: No max Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, up to 40 hours of unused leave must be carried over to the following year | No |
| WA | Washington (Statewide) | All Workers | Accrual Begins On: First day of employment Eligible for Use From: 90 calendar days after the first day of employment Rate: 1 hour for every 40 worked |
Minimum Annual Accrual: No max Minimum Annual Usage Cap: All hours accrued may be used |
Yes, unused leave up to 40 hours must be carried over to the following year | No |
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