Paid Sick Leave in Tennessee
Tennessee (TN) · Paid sick leave · Last reviewed July 2026
State mandate
None statewide
Typical accrual
1 hr per 30 worked
Does Tennessee Require Paid Sick Leave?
Tennessee does not currently have a statewide paid sick leave mandate, though some cities may, and the list of states with mandates keeps growing. Many employers offer paid sick time voluntarily to stay competitive.
How Accrual Usually Works
Where sick leave is required, employers typically choose between accrual (employees earn time as they work, e.g., 1 hour per 30 worked) and front-loading (granting a lump sum at the start of the year). A time and attendance system makes either method easy by tracking hours worked and balances automatically.
Recordkeeping
Track accrued and used sick time per employee, show balances on pay stubs where required, and keep the records for the retention period your state specifies.
Tennessee Labor-Law Snapshot
Tennessee has no statewide paid-sick-leave mandate. Separately, the Tennessee minimum wage is $7.25/hour (the federal floor), overtime is about $10.88/hour, and a final paycheck is due by the next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever is later on discharge.
For Tennessee employers these rules interact with timekeeping: accurate, audit-logged hours drive overtime, final pay, and break records. Tennessee requires meal breaks on longer shifts and does not mandate paid rest breaks; a final paycheck is due by the next regular payday or within 21 days, whichever is later when an employee resigns. Confirm current Tennessee figures with the state labor office before relying on any single number.
Official Sources
More Tennessee Guides
Paid Sick Leave in Other States
Tennessee Paid Sick Leave: Frequently Asked Questions
Is paid sick leave required in Tennessee?
No — Tennessee has no statewide paid sick leave mandate, although some cities may require it and many employers offer it voluntarily.
How much sick leave do employees earn?
Where required, a common standard is one hour of paid sick time per 30 hours worked, subject to caps and carryover rules that vary — check the current rules.
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