March 20, 2018
On Feb. 19, 2018, Austin City Council passed a paid sick leave provision. The new law requires employers to provide employees with paid sick and safe leave. Specifically, employers must allow employees who work at least 80 hours in a calendar year to accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Importantly, there are no exclusions for part-time employees, paid interns, seasonal employees or temporary employees. Additionally, employers will have to permit a rollover of up to 64 hours (or 48 for smaller employers) of accrued/unused sick leave to the following year.
Employees must be able to use the paid time off for their own personal health condition, a family member's health condition or because they or their family member is a victim of a crime, sexual assault or stalking. The term "health condition" also includes preventive care.
The law is effective Oct. 1, 2018. However, transition relief is available to employers with one to five employees in the previous 12 months; the law would be effective Oct. 1, 2020, for them.
Austin City Ordinance »