ComplyRightComplyRightComplyRightComplyRight
  • WEBINARS
    • Upcoming
    • On Demand
  • TOPICS
    • I want to learn about:
      • Hiring an Employee
      • Creating Policies
      • Paying Employees
      • Discrimination & Harassment
    • Column 2
      • Employment Law
      • Labor Law Postings
      • Employee Leave
      • Employee Recordkeeping
    • Category 3
      • Independent Contractors
      • Tax Reporting
      • Improving Employee Performance
      • Firing an Employee
    • Seven Reasons Why Employee Performance Reviews Still Matter in a Remote Work World

      Employee Performance Reviews
      Read More
  • SOLUTIONS
    • Employee Management
      • Hiring
      • Time and Attendance
      • Training and Safety
      • Recordkeeping
      • Employee Policies
    • Labor Law Posters
      • Poster Guard® Service
      • ComplyRight Posters
      • Electronic Posters
      • Employee Handouts
      • Partner Solutions
    • Tax Information Reporting
      • DIY Filing Solutions
      • Processing Services
      • Partner Solutions
    • NEW! Secure Document Print and Mail Services
    • Featured Solution

      Poster Guard Compliance Protection
      Learn More
  • ABOUT
    • Who is ComplyRight
      • Mission
      • Core Values
      • Leaders
      • Contact
    • Careers
      • Culture
      • Benefits and Perks
    • Brands
      • HRdirect
      • HRdirect Smart Apps
      • Poster Guard
      • eFile4Biz
    • Join Our Team

      Join Our Team
      Learn More
  • SUBSCRIBE

Rise in Paid Sick Leave Laws Demands Employer Attention and Action

Paid Sick Leave Laws
Published on April 8, 2020
  • Employee Leave
  • COVID-19
  • FMLA

When employees show up to work with a cold or flu, they open the door to all sorts of issues. All the coughing and sniffling is not only unpleasant and disruptive for other workers, but a sick employee can also transmit viruses to others and create a bigger problem.

While it’s certainly smarter and healthier for sick employees to stay home, what if they feel like they can’t afford to miss work? More and more state and local legislators are recognizing this predicament and issuing paid sick leave laws with special provisions for sick employees. Further still, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was recently expanded to address the urgent employment concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working While Sick

Did you know that one in four American workers has admitted to going to work when sick, according to an NSF International Flu Survey? The survey also revealed that:

  • 25% of American workers go to work when sick because their boss expects them to come in no matter what
  • Men (33%) are nearly twice as likely as women (17%) to go to work when sick
  • 13% of working Americans believe co-workers come to work sick because they don’t trust their colleagues to do the job while they are out

Although paid sick leave can’t address every finding in this survey, it can certainly minimize employees “pushing through” an illness just because they’re afraid of losing income. Beyond that, the advantages of paid sick leave include:

  • A healthier workplace that reduces the spread of disease
  • Higher productivity
  • A better work-life balance
  • Possibly lowering healthcare costs by preventing illnesses from escalating

In recent years, more states and cities have enacted their own paid sick leave laws that are more generous than federal law.

As of late March 2020, 12 states, the District of Columbia and 20 other jurisdictions provide paid sick days, protecting an estimated 46 million private sector workers. The states are: Arizona, Connecticut, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. They permit workers to earn paid sick days to recover from illness, seek medical care, or for a sick family member.

The cities and counties offering similar provisions include: San Francisco, Oakland, Emeryville, Los Angeles, Berkeley, Santa Monica and San Diego (CA); New York City, and Westchester County (NY); Seattle and Tacoma (WA); Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (PA); Montgomery County (MD); Chicago and Cook County (IL); St. Paul, Minneapolis and Duluth (MN); and Dallas (TX).

Federal Response to COVID-19

Until the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, there were no federal laws requiring employers to provide paid leave for employees. But in the face of a growing health and safety crisis, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was passed, affecting all private employers with fewer than 500 employees as well as public employers. Until December 31, 2020, the law provides 80 hours of paid leave for eligible full-time employees who are:

  • Subject to a federal, state or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19
  • Advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns
  • Experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking medical diagnosis
  • Caring for an individual subject to a federal, state or local quarantine or isolation order or advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns
  • Caring for the employee’s child if the child’s school or place of care is closed due to COVID-19 related reasons
  • Experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services

In addition to the paid leave explained above, the FFCRA amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to allow emergency paid family leave to employees of companies with fewer than 500 employees who are unable to work to care for a child whose school or place of care closed during the national emergency. In this situation, the enhanced provisions are not dependent on the previous company standard of 50 employees within a 75-mile radius. Further still, an employee must be employed for only 30 days (rather than the typical 12-month employment period/1,250 hours) to be eligible for this FMLA provision.

Protect Your Sick Employees and Meet the Latest Posting Requirements

As more states and cities pass specific legislation, employers should expect an increase in paid sick leave provisions, as well as related postings. Federal, state and local coverage is guaranteed through Poster Guard® Compliance Protection.

SA Time-off Request | Employee Leave

HRdirect Smart Apps - Time Off Request

COVID-19 HRD Banner

HRdirect - Clearly Communicate Your Company's Health & Safety Policies. View Our large variety of posters, notices, and clings. - Learn More

Related Content

  • Families First Coronavirus Response Act
    Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Answering Common Questions about Emergency Paid Leave
    April 2, 2020

    The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires covered employers to provide employees with emergency paid sick leave and expanded … Read more

    Employee Leave

    COVID-19

  • Mandatory Employee Leave: An In-Depth Analysis of State and Local Lawsplay-button
    Mandatory Employee Leave: An In-Depth Analysis of State and Local Laws
    October 2019

    Did you know that numerous states and cities have passed laws granting leave for workers to address certain health and … Read more

    Employee Leave

    State and Local Trends

  • State Leave Laws: What You Need to Know
    State Leave Laws: What You Need to Know
    February 1, 2019

    For HR managers and small business owners who are compliance sensitive and want to stay current on employment laws, being … Read more

    Employee Leave

    State and Local Trends

  • How to Manage Employee Leave Requests and Control Absenceplay-button
    How to Manage Employee Leave Requests and Control Absence
    May 2018

    Handling employee leave requests related to medical or family issues can be tricky. First, you need a working knowledge of … Read more

    Employee Leave

    Attendance

    FMLA

  • FMLA and Other Leave Laws: Learn What’s Changing and How to Stay Compliantplay-button
    FMLA and Other Leave Laws: Learn What’s Changing and How to Stay Compliant
    July 2017

    Of all the employment laws affecting today’s businesses, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is one of the most … Read more

    Employee Leave

    FMLA

    State and Local Trends

  • Don't Be Left Behind: How to Manage Employee Leaveplay-button
    Don’t Be Left Behind: How to Manage Employee Leave
    August 2015

    Managing everyday absences is straightforward. But what if employees need longer leave for a serious health condition or to care … Read more

    Employee Leave

    Attendance

    FMLA

Upcoming Webinar

Webinar Name

Date & Time

Presented by:

Learn More
Shop Our Brands 
HRdirect
HRdirect Smart Apps
Poster Guard
Formstax eFile4Biz

At ComplyRight, our mission is to free employers from the burden of tracking and complying with the complex web of federal, state and local employment laws, so they can stay focused on managing and growing their businesses.

©2021 ComplyRight, Inc.

Webinars

  • Upcoming
  • On Demand

Solutions

  • Employee Management
  • Labor Law Posters
  • Tax Information Reporting

About

  • Who is ComplyRight
  • Careers
  • Brands

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Popular Topics

Performance Policies Discrimination and Harassment Employment Law HiringLabor Law PostingsIndependent Contractors

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe

Follow Us

  • RESOURCES
    • Knowledge Center
      • Tip Sheets
      • E-Guides
      • Podcasts
      • Infographics
      • Videos
    • Webinars
      • Upcoming
      • On Demand Webinars
    • Research and Trends
      • Compliance Survey
      • Trend Surveys
      • Minimum Wage Monitor
    • HR 101 Courses
  • TOPICS
    • Hiring an Employee
    • Creating Policies
    • Paying Employees
    • Discrimination & Harassment
    • Employment Law
    • Labor Law Postings
    • Employee Leave
    • Employee Recordkeeping
    • Independent Contractors
    • Tax Reporting
    • Improving Employee Performance
    • Firing an Employee
  • SOLUTIONS
    • Employee Management
      • Hiring
      • Time and Attendance
      • Training and Safety
      • Recordkeeping
      • Employee Policies
    • Labor Law Posters
      • ComplyRight Posters
      • Poster Guard®
      • Partner Solutions
    • Tax Information Reporting
      • DIY Filling Solutions
      • Processing Services
      • Partner Solutions
  • ABOUT
    • Who is ComplyRight
    • Newsroom
    • Careers
    • Brands
    • Contact Us
  • SUBSCRIBE
ComplyRight