Paid Sick Leave Laws by State
The 20 or so jurisdictions that mandate paid sick leave, their accrual rates and caps, the any-purpose states, and the one that repealed its law — every rule verified against the statute or agency, including the 2025 changes.
LegalWorkplace.com Staff
Reviewed Sep 2026 · 10 min read
The baseline
There is no federal paid sick leave law — roughly 20 states plus D.C. mandate it, each with its own rate and caps.
The common shape
1 hour per 30 worked, ~40–56 hours a year — with outliers from Vermont's 1/52 to Washington's uncapped use.
The freshness trap
AK and NE laws began late 2025, CT's threshold dropped in 2026 — and Missouri repealed its law entirely.
Not legal advice. Educational guide to general U.S. employment law. Rules vary by state — consult an employment attorney for specific cases.
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The landscape in 2026
There is still no federal paid sick leave law — the FMLA guarantees unpaid, job-protected leave and nothing more. What exists instead is a fast-moving patchwork: roughly 20 states plus D.C. now mandate sick leave or any-purpose paid leave, four of them through ballot initiatives that took effect only in 2024–2025, one of which has already been repealed.
The common chassis is one hour per 30 hours worked with a 40–56 hour annual cap — but the details diverge enough to hurt: employer-size thresholds run from 1 to 18 employees, waiting periods from zero (New Mexico) to a full year (Vermont), and three states skip "sick" entirely in favor of leave for any reason.
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The state table
| State | Accrual rate | Annual amount | Employers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+) | All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line |
| Arizona | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hours (15+ employees) / 24 hours (under 15) | All employers — the cap varies by size |
| California | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed) | Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days | Nearly all employers, regardless of size |
| Colorado | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year (+80-hour PHE supplement when declared) | All employers — full-time, part-time and temporary employees |
| Connecticut | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year; 40 hours carryover | 11+ employees now; every employer from Jan 1, 2027 |
| District of Columbia | 1 hour per 37 / 43 / 87 hours worked, by employer size | 7 days (100+) / 5 days (25–99) / 3 days (≤24) | All D.C. employers — tiered by headcount |
| Illinois | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose | Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded) |
| Maine | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year — usable for any reason | More than 10 employees in Maine for 120+ days a year (non-seasonal) |
| Maryland | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs | All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer |
| Massachusetts | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per calendar year | All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below |
| Michigan | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (frontloading allowed) | Use up to 72 hrs/yr — 40 hrs at small businesses (≤10 workers) | All employers with one or more employees |
| Minnesota | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover | All employers with one or more employees |
| Missouri | None — the mandate was repealed effective Aug 28, 2025 | No state requirement — employer policy controls | No Missouri employer is required to provide sick leave |
| Nebraska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked, after 80 hours of employment | 40 hrs (11–19 employees) / 56 hrs (20+) | 11+ employees — employers with 10 or fewer are exempt |
| Nevada | 0.01923 hours per hour worked (≈1 per 52; frontloading allowed) | ≈40 hours per benefit year for full-time work — any purpose | Private employers — under-50-employee hardship and other carve-outs |
| New Jersey | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 40 hours advanced up front) | Up to 40 hours per benefit year; 40 hours carryover | All New Jersey employers, regardless of size |
| New Mexico | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 64 hours frontloaded Jan 1) | Use up to 64 hours per year; 64-hour carryover | All private employers, regardless of size |
| New York | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 56 hrs paid (100+) / 40 paid (5–99) / 40 unpaid (0–4, ≤$1M income) | Every NY employer — the tier sets paid vs. unpaid and the cap |
| Oregon | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 1-1/3 per 40) | Up to 40 hours per year | All — paid at 10+ employees, unpaid under 10 |
| Rhode Island | 1 hour per 35 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year | Paid at 18+ employees; smaller employers provide unpaid leave |
| Vermont | 1 hour per 52 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period | All Vermont employers |
| Washington | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | No annual cap — leave is usable as accrued; 40-hour carryover | All employers covered by the Minimum Wage Act |
Each state links to its full page with statute citations, penalties, and the date we last verified the rule against the official source.
Each state links to its full page with the statute citation, penalties, and verification date. States without a mandate aren't listed — there, employer policy and any local city ordinances control.
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The 2024–2026 wave — and the undertow
Alaska (Jul 2025)
Ballot Measure 1: 1/30 accrual, 40 or 56 hours by employer size, mandatory carryover — see the Alaska page.
Nebraska (Oct 2025)
The initiative passed — then LB 415 exempted employers with 10 or fewer workers and redefined "small business" before day one. The Nebraska page has the as-amended rules.
Missouri (repealed Aug 2025)
Prop A lived less than four months before H.B. 567 repealed it. Many national guides still list it as live — the Missouri page links the official repeal record.
Connecticut (phasing 2025–2027)
The threshold dropped to 11+ employees on January 1, 2026, and hits every employer in 2027 — details on the Connecticut page.
Michigan (rewritten Feb 2025)
The court-restored ESTA was amended on its effective day: 72 usable hours at most employers, 40 at small businesses — see the Michigan page.
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The any-purpose states
Three states dropped the "sick" entirely: Illinois (1 per 40, 40 hours, no reason or documentation may be required), Maine (1 per 40, 40 hours, employers over 10 employees — vacation is a listed use), and Nevada (0.01923 per hour, ~40 hours). For employers, any-purpose leave means no doctor's notes and no policing of reasons — the trade is simpler administration for less control.
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Compliance patterns that survive all 20 laws
Frontload where allowed
Nearly every statute lets you grant the full annual amount on day one — killing accrual tracking and, in most states, carryover math.
Never touch attendance points
Counting protected sick leave in a no-fault attendance policy is the most common violation across every state's enforcement docket.
Watch the city layer
Chicago, Cook County, NYC, Seattle, Minneapolis, Duluth and others run ordinances stricter than their states — the state floor is not the ceiling.
Multi-state? Build to the max
One policy at 1/30 accrual, 56–72 hours, broad family definitions and no documentation satisfies almost every state at once — usually cheaper than 20 variants.
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Frequently asked questions
Which states require paid sick leave in 2026?
In our verified set: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Alaska and D.C. mandate sick leave, while Illinois, Maine and Nevada mandate paid leave usable for any purpose. Missouri's 2024 ballot law was repealed effective August 28, 2025.
What is the most common accrual rate?
One hour per 30 hours worked — used by Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Alaska. Illinois and Maine use 1 per 40, Rhode Island 1 per 35, Washington 1 per 40, and Vermont 1 per 52.
Do small employers have to provide sick leave?
It varies: California, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington cover all employers; Massachusetts, Maryland, Oregon, Rhode Island and New York let small employers provide unpaid leave or smaller amounts; Nebraska exempts employers with 10 or fewer entirely; Connecticut reaches every employer in 2027.
Was the Missouri sick leave law repealed?
Yes. Proposition A's earned paid sick time took effect May 1, 2025 and was repealed by H.B. 567 effective August 28, 2025 — the Revisor of Missouri lists RSMo 290.600 as repealed, so Missouri currently has no sick leave mandate.
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