An employee calls out of work because of the flu. Simple enough. But, should the employer pay the employee for the day? Should it be designated as a sick day? Does it matter what state or city they are in? Numerous recently enacted state and local laws necessitate different responses. Over the past couple of years, lawmakers have enacted state and local paid sick leave laws that mandate exactly how much paid sick leave an employee is entitled to, how it must be accrued and why it may be taken, in conjunction with strict penalties for violations.

Now, more than 30 local jurisdictions have passed paid leave laws across the country. The momentum toward enacting more similar laws appears to be continuing. In 2017, Maryland and Rhode Island passed new laws. In 2018, New Jersey and Michigan passed statewide laws, Duluth, Minnesota and Austin, Texas passed local laws and various provisions went into effect in state and local laws in Arizona, California and Illinois.