Time off and leave

What is paid sick leave?

Paid sick leave is time off for illness that is paid, required by a growing number of states and cities rather than by federal law.

There is no general federal paid sick leave requirement for private employers. The obligation comes from state and local ordinances, which set their own accrual rates, caps, waiting periods, and permitted uses.

Where it applies, the accrual is often expressed as one hour per some number of hours worked, which means your time records are the source of the leave balance. Tracking hours accurately is a prerequisite for getting sick leave right.

Handle this automatically

Kloqk is a free employee time clock for small business. It records the punches, applies your rules, and does this arithmetic for you.

Start free Paid sick leave by state

Related terms

PTO accrual

PTO accrual is earning paid time off gradually, usually a set number of hours per hour worked or per pay period, instead of receiving a lump balance up front.

General information for US employers, not legal advice. Wage and hour rules change and vary by state, so confirm specifics with your state labor agency or counsel.