Massachusetts Earned Sick Time Law
✓ Verified against official sources · September 1, 2026 M.G.L. c.149 § 148C
The short answer: Massachusetts employees earn one hour of sick time per 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year — paid at employers with 11 or more employees, unpaid below that — with use beginning on the 90th day.
Accrual rate
1 hour per 30 hours worked
Annual amount
Up to 40 hours per calendar year
Employers covered
All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below
Penalty for non-compliance: Enforced by the Massachusetts Attorney General under c.149; violations are subject to the Wage Act's remedies, including treble damages in civil actions.
Under M.G.L. c.149 § 148C, adopted by ballot in 2014, every Massachusetts employee accrues one hour of earned sick time per 30 hours worked, beginning at hire, usable after the 90th calendar day of employment, and capped at 40 hours per year. At employers with eleven or more employees the time is paid; smaller employers must provide the same time unpaid.
Uses cover the employee's or a family member's illness and medical appointments, and domestic-violence-related needs; exempt employees are assumed to work 40-hour weeks for accrual. The Attorney General's Fair Labor Division enforces the law with the Wage Act's remedies behind it.
For employersThe 11-employee line only decides paid versus unpaid — the accrual, the 40-hour entitlement, and the anti-retaliation rules apply to every employer.
For employeesYou start accruing on day one — one hour per 30 worked — and can use up to 40 hours a year once you pass 90 days, for your own or a family member's illness and related needs.
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Massachusetts FAQ
Do small Massachusetts employers have to provide sick time?
Yes — every employer must provide up to 40 hours of earned sick time a year. At 11 or more employees it must be paid; below that it may be unpaid (§ 148C(d)(4)).
When can a new Massachusetts employee start using sick time?
Accrual starts on the date of hire, but use may begin on the 90th calendar day of employment; after that, sick time is usable as it accrues.
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Official sources
M.G.L. c.149 § 148C — official text
Primary source for this page
Massachusetts Attorney General — Fair Labor Division
Massachusetts labor agency
Educational content, not legal advice. Rules change — every fact above was checked against the linked official sources on the date shown.
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How other states compare
| 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 |
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