Many new and/or expanded employment laws and regulations have been adopted over the last year, affecting the way employers hire, pay, treat and provide benefits to their employees. One of the trends among these changes is states and local jurisdictions requiring employers to provide more protected leave to employees. Here is a closer look at this trend.
Paid family leave
In 2024, state and local jurisdictions continued to adopt and expand programs that provide wage replacement benefits to employees when they take time off from work for certain family or medical reasons. These paid family and medical leave (PFL) programs typically impose certain requirements on employers. As of January 1, 2025, fifteen states, the District of Columbia and one city have enacted/created a PFL program.
Covered employers
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Jurisdictions with a PFL program (as of January 1, 2025)
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All employers (Required)
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California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maine (1.1.25*), Maryland (7.1.25*), Massachusetts, Minnesota (1.1.26*), New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington
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Employers with 10 or more employees (Required)
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Delaware (1.1.25*)
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Employers with 20 or more employees (Required)
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San Francisco
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All employers (Voluntary)
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New Hampshire, Vermont
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*Contribution start date
With limited exceptions, covered employers must participate in the state/local PFL program, but employers may be allowed to provide coverage through a private insurance plan instead, as long as it meets all of the jurisdiction’s requirements. Check your state/local law for details.
Paid sick leave
The number of states and local jurisdictions that require employers to provide paid sick leave to employees or that are amending existing laws to expand such requirements is increasing each year. While coverage varies by jurisdiction, these laws generally cover absences for the employee's or a family member's mental or physical illness, medical diagnosis, or preventative care.
Many also cover absences related to seeking assistance following domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Some cover closure of the employee’s workplace due to weather or public emergency, or closure of a family member’s school or care facility due to weather or public emergency.
Some cover other types of absences as well. Check your applicable law for details on what leave is covered and how "family member" is defined.
Currently, the following 18 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws requiring employers to provide paid sick leave to employees. And as noted in the table below, some of these laws permit small employers (as defined by each law) to provide unpaid sick leave instead.
State paid sick leave requirements
States and district
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Which employers must provide paid sick leave?
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Alaska
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Effective July 1, 2025
All employers
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Arizona
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All employers |
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California
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All employers |
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Colorado
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All employers |
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Connecticut
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Effective January 1, 2025, employers with 25 or more employees in the state must provide paid sick leave to all employees.
Effective January 1, 2026, employers with 11 or more employees in the state must provide paid sick leave to all employees.
Effective January 1, 2027, employers with one or more employees in the state must provide paid sick leave to all employees.
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District of Columbia
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All employers |
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Maryland
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Employers with 15 or more employees must provide paid sick leave. Smaller employers must provide sick leave, but it may be unpaid. |
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Massachusetts
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Employers with more than 10 employees must provide paid sick leave. Smaller employers must provide sick leave, but it may be unpaid.
Note: Effective November 21, 2024, the law was amended to entitle employees to also use sick leave to address the employee’s or their spouse’s needs related to pregnancy loss or a failed assisted reproduction, adoption or surrogacy.
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Michigan
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Through February 20, 2025: Employers with 50 or more employees must provide paid medical leave (a narrowed version of paid sick leave).
Effective February 21, 2025: Employers with one or more employees must provide paid sick leave.
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Minnesota
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All employers
Note: The law requiring paid sick leave was amended in 2024.
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Missouri
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Effective May 1, 2025
All employers
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Nebraska
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Effective October 1, 2025
All employers
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New Jersey
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All employers |
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New Mexico
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All employers |
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New York
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Employers with five or more employees or a net income of more than $1 million must provide paid sick leave. Other New York employers must provide sick leave, but it may be unpaid.
Effective January 1, 2025: All New York employers must provide up to 20 hours of paid prenatal personal leave to eligible employees. The required paid prenatal leave is in addition to the sick leave requirements.
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Oregon
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Employers with 10 or more employees (six or more if they have a location in Portland) must provide paid sick leave. Smaller employers must provide sick leave, but it may be unpaid. |
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Rhode Island
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Employers with 18 or more employees must provide paid sick leave. Smaller employers must provide sick leave, but it may be unpaid. |
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Vermont
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All employers |
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Washington
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All employers
Note: Effective January 1, 2025, a new law expanded the circumstances under which an employee may take paid sick leave. The law also expanded the definition of a family member for paid sick leave purposes.
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Local jurisdictions with paid sick leave requirements
As well, numerous local jurisdictions also have paid sick leave requirements.
The following local jurisdictions have enacted paid sick leave requirements. If your business or employees are located in one of these areas, check the law for information on employer coverage and other details.
- California cities: Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Monica, San Diego, Long Beach (hotels with 100 or more rooms), Los Angeles and West Hollywood
- Chicago
- Montgomery County, Maryland
- Minnesota cities: Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul
- New York City
- Pennsylvania cities and county: Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and Allegheny County
- Washington cities: Seattle, Tacoma and SeaTac (hospitality and transportation industries)
Expect to see more states and local jurisdictions consider joining the trend in the coming months.
States and local jurisdictions with laws on paid leave for any reason
A handful of states and local jurisdictions have enacted laws that entitle employees to paid time off for any reason, including illness. These states and local jurisdictions include those in the following table.
States
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Employers who must provide paid leave that can be used for any reason
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Illinois
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- Statewide: All employers must provide paid leave that employees can use for any purpose, unless the employer is covered by a municipal or county ordinance that was in effect on January 1, 2024 that requires employers to give any form of paid leave to their employees, including paid sick leave.
- Chicago: All employers with at least one covered employee working in Chicago must provide employees with paid leave that they can use for any reason. The city also has a separate paid sick leave requirement.
- Cook County: Employers with at least one covered employee working in the county must provide paid leave that may be taken for any reason of the employee's choosing.
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Maine
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- Employers with 10 or more employees must provide paid leave that employees can use for any purpose.
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Nevada
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- Employers with 50 or more employees must provide paid leave that employees can use for any purpose.
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Conclusion
As 2025 progresses, watch for developments in employee leave laws closely and review your workplace forms, policies, practices and training to help ensure compliance when changes occur.
