Leave Laws by State and Municipality

Author: Brightmine Editorial Team

There are few federal laws requiring a private employer to provide employees with a leave of absence. However, most states and some municipalities provide employees with more leave rights than required by federal law. The following chart provides a brief overview of the major leave requirements in each jurisdiction and to which employers they apply. Unique laws are listed under Additional Leave Protections.

The chart does not include:

  • Workers' compensation laws;
  • Laws under which leave may be required as an accommodation (e.g., related to pregnancy, disability, religion, domestic violence);
  • Laws that require leave based on another leave type being offered (e.g., leave for adoptive parents is required if leave for biological parents is offered); or
  • Laws covering only state/public employees or public contractors/subcontractors (such as the Executive Order requiring federal contractors and subcontractors to provide paid sick leave).

The chart includes the states and major municipalities that have passed paid sick and safe leave laws. For more information on state and municipal paid sick and safe leave laws, see Paid Sick Leave by State and Municipality.

Also included on this chart are paid family leave laws, some of which provide leave and reinstatement rights, while others provide only wage replacement benefits when an employee takes leave for a qualifying reason. For more information on state and municipal paid family leave laws, see Paid Family Leave Requirements by State and Municipality.

In addition, the chart includes paid leave for any reason laws, which require employers to provide employees with general paid time off for any reason, subject to some limitations.

Numerous states have enacted so-called preemption laws that prohibit municipalities from adopting regulations that expand on state or federal leave requirements. However, existing municipal laws are often grandfathered in.

States that have no requirements regarding a specific leave type are marked N/A in the chart. In the absence of state requirements, federal rules may apply.

Further, note that employees may also be entitled to leave under COVID-related temporary laws.


Jurisdiction Bereavement Leave Blood/Bone Marrow/Organ Donation Leave Court Attendance/
Witness Leave		 Crime Victims' Leave Domestic/
Sexual Violence Victims' Leave		 Election Officials' Leave Family and
Medical Leave		 Family Military
Leave		 Jury Duty Leave Legislative/
Political Leave		 Military Service/
Veterans' Leave		 Paid Family
Leave		 Paid Leave for Any Reason Paid Sick
Leave		 Pregnancy Disability Leave Public Health Emergency (Quarantine/
Isolation) Leave		 School Activities/
Visitation Leave		 Volunteer Emergency Responder Leave Voting Leave Additional Leave Protections
Federal N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 50 or more employees Employers with 50 or more employees All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Alabama N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers with 26 or more employees Employers with 50 or more employees, for the birth or adoption of a child N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A
Alaska N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A
Arizona N/A N/A N/A Employers with 50 or more employees All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A All employers N/A
Arkansas N/A All employers, for bone marrow and organ donation N/A All employers All employers N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A
California Employers with 15 or more employees, for bone marrow and organ donation All employers All employers Employers with 25 or more employees All employers N/A Employers that pay $100 or more in wages in a calendar quarter N/A All employers Employers with five or more employees N/A All employers, for emergency responder duties; employers with 50 or more employees, for emergency responder training All employers
California (Anaheim) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Hotel worker victim leave, hotel employers
California (Berkeley) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
California (Emeryville) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers with employees working within the City of Emeryville, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers with employees working within the City of Emeryville N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
California (Glendale) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Hotel worker victim leave, hotel employers
California (Long Beach) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Hotel employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
California (Los Angeles) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Hotel worker victim leave, hotel employers
California (Oakland) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers with employees working in the City of Oakland N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Hotel employee victim leave, hotel employers
California (San Diego) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers with employees working in the City of San Diego N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A
California (San Francisco) N/A All employers with employees working in the City or County of San Francisco, for bone marrow and organ donation, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A All employers with employees working in the City or County of San Francisco, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 100 or more employees worldwide, supplemental compensation required during leave for covered military duty Employers with 20 or more employees, wage replacement benefits only N/A N/A Employers with 100 or more employees worldwide (including one or more employees who work in San Francisco) N/A N/A N/A Domestic worker paid sick leave, hiring entities employing domestic workers
California (Santa Monica) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Hotel employee victim leave, hotel employers
California (West Hollywood) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Colorado N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers with 50 or more employees N/A All employers N/A Employers that employ at least one person for each working day during 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year or paid wages of at least $1,500 during any calendar quarter in the preceding calendar year N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A All employers All employers N/A
Connecticut N/A All employers, for bone marrow and organ donation All employers, for witnesses in a criminal proceeding All employers N/A All employers All employers All employers All employers N/A

Employers with 50 or more employees, for service employees only

Starting January 1, 2025, employers that employ 25 or more individuals in the state

Starting January 1, 2026, employers that employ 11 or more individuals in the state

Starting January 1, 2027, employers that employ one or more individuals in the state

 Employers with one or more employees N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A
Delaware N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers with 21 or more employees N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers Beginning January 1, 2025, employees and employers with 10 or more employees working anywhere in Delaware during the previous 12 months must make contributions. Employees may use leave benefits beginning January 1, 2026. N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers with 10 or more employees N/A N/A
District of Columbia N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A Employers with 20 or more employees N/A All employers N/A N/A Employers that pay unemployment insurance on behalf of their employees N/A All employers N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers
Florida N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers with 50 or more employees N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Florida (Broward County) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Florida (Miami-Dade County) N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 50 or more employees N/A Employers with 50 or more employees N/A Employers with 10 or more employees who are regularly scheduled to work at least 35 hours per week N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Georgia N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A Employers with 25 or more employees, sick leave (if provided) may be used to care for an immediate family member N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A
Hawaii N/A Employers with 50 or more employees, for organ, bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell donation All employers N/A All employers N/A Employers with 100 or more employees N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Idaho N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Illinois Employers with 51 or more employees, for blood and organ donation, including bone marrow donation All employers, for witnesses in criminal proceedings All employers, for victims of a violent crime All employers Employers with 25 or more employees All employers, personal sick leave benefits (if provided) may be used for a family member's illness, injury or medical appointment Employers with 15 or more employees All employers N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A Employers with 50 or more employees All employers All employers N/A
Illinois (Chicago) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under the Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A All employers, under the Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A
Illinois (Cook County) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Indiana N/A N/A All employers, for criminal proceedings N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 50 or more employees All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Mobile support unit leave, all employers
Iowa N/A N/A All employers, for witnesses in criminal proceedings and for plaintiffs, defendants or witnesses in civil domestic abuse proceedings N/A All employers, for plaintiffs, defendants and witnesses in civil domestic abuse proceedings N/A N/A N/A All employers Employers with 20 or more employees N/A N/A N/A Employers with four or more employees N/A N/A All employers All employers Leave for required drinking and driving classes, all employers
Kansas N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers with four or more employees, for childbearing N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A
Kentucky N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A All employers All employers, for adoption N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A
Louisiana N/A Employers with 20 or more employees, for bone marrow donation N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 26 or more employees, for pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related disabilities N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 26 or more employees N/A

 

All employers, includes day care activities (this is a permissive law, not required)

 All employers, for first responders in the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness N/A Leave for genetic testing and cancer screening, employers with 20 or more employees
Maine N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers Employers with six or more employees Starting January 1, 2025, employees and employers must make contributions. Employees may use leave benefits starting May 1, 2026 Employers with 11 or more employees N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A
Maryland Employers with 15 or more employees, under Maryland Flexible Leave Act Employers with 15 or more employees in the state, for organ and bone marrow donation All employers All employers All employers, under paid sick and safe leave law N/A Employers with 50 or more employees All employers N/A Beginning July 1, 2025, employees and employers with at least 15 employees must make contributions. Employees may use leave benefits beginning July 1, 2026. N/A Employers with 15 or more employees (unpaid if fewer than 15) N/A Essential employers N/A All employers, for Governor-declared emergencies All employers N/A
Maryland (Montgomery County) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under sick and safe leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under sick and safe leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A
Massachusetts

N/A

All employers, for health needs related to a reproductive loss event, under sick leave law

 N/A All employers, for criminal proceedings All employers N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers subject to the unemployment insurance law N/A Employers with 11 or more employees (unpaid if fewer than 11) N/A N/A Employers with 50 or more employees All employers Manufacturing, mechanical and mercantile establishments N/A
Michigan N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Minnesota All employers, for a family member's funeral or to make arrangements following the death, under earned sick and safe time law Employers with 20 or more employees, for bone marrow donation All employers, for criminal proceedings All employers All employers All employers All employers Starting November 1, 2025, employees and employers must make contributions. Employees may use leave benefits starting January 1, 2026. N/A All employers All employers, for incapacity due to pregnancy-related conditions All employers, includes child care activities N/A All employers N/A
Minnesota (Bloomington) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under sick and safe time ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under sick and safe time ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A
Minnesota (Minneapolis) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under sick and safe time ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with six or more employees (unpaid if fewer than six) N/A All employers, under sick and safe time ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A
Minnesota (St. Paul) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under earned sick and safe time ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under earned sick and safe time ordinance N/A N/A N/A N/A
Mississippi N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Missouri N/A N/A All employers, for criminal proceedings All employers Employers with 20 or more employees N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A
Montana N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A All employers, for maternity leave N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Nebraska N/A All employers, encouraged to provide paid leave for bone marrow donation N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers with 15 or more employees All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 10 or more employees All employers N/A
Nevada N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, personal sick leave benefits (if provided) may be used for a covered family member N/A All employers Employers with more than 50 employees All employers N/A Employers with 50 or more employees in the state N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A
New Hampshire N/A N/A N/A Employers with 25 or more employees N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Employers as defined by the unemployment insurance law
(Any NH employer may purchase a NH PFML insurance plan for their NH workers under this voluntary program)		 N/A N/A Employers with six or more employees N/A N/A N/A N/A
New Jersey N/A All employers, under temporary disability benefits law N/A N/A N/A Employers with 30 or more employees N/A All employers N/A All employers Employers subject to the unemployment insurance law N/A All employers N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law All employers, under paid sick leave law All employers N/A N/A
New Mexico N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, personal sick leave benefits (if provided) may be used for a covered family member N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law All employers All employers N/A
New Mexico (Bernalillo County) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with physical premises within the unincorporated county limits and two or more employees within the unincorporated county limits N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
New York N/A Employers with 20 or more employees, for blood donation All employers, for criminal proceedings All employers N/A N/A Employers with 20 or more employees All employers N/A All employers All employers N/A All employers. Unpaid if four or fewer employees and net income less than $1 million, except, starting January 1, 2025, all employers must provide paid leave for health care services related to an employee's pregnancy (paid prenatal personal leave). N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers Starting January 1, 2025, leave for health care services related to an employee's pregnancy (paid prenatal personal leave), all employers
New York (New York City) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law (unpaid if fewer than five employees and net income less than $1 million) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers (unpaid if fewer than five employees and net income less than $1 million) N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law (unpaid if fewer than five employees and net income less than $1 million) N/A N/A N/A N/A
New York (Westchester County) N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Preempted due to passage of state paid sick leave law N/A Preempted due to passage of state paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A
North Carolina N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, includes childcare facility activities All employers, during state of emergency N/A Juvenile court order compliance leave, all employers
North Dakota N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers Employers are encouraged, but not required, to provide time off to vote N/A
Ohio N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A All employers N/A Employers with 50 or more employees All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A
Oklahoma N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All railroad companies operating in the state All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A
Oregon All employers, for juvenile court proceedings Employers with six or more employees N/A Employers with 25 or more employees All employers Employers with 10 or more employees All employers N/A Employers with 10 or more employees (unpaid if fewer than 10) and employers with six or more employees in Portland Employers are encouraged, but not required, to provide time off for school activities N/A
Pennsylvania N/A Employers covered under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, for organ and tissue donation All employers, for criminal proceedings All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers, except in retail or service industry with fewer than 15 employees and manufacturing industry with fewer than 40 employees N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A Emergency road closure leave, all employers
Pennsylvania (Allegheny County) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 26 or more employees, effective 90 calendar days after the Allegheny County Health Department posts the required employer notice information N/A Employers with 26 or more employees, under paid sick leave law, effective 90 calendar days after the Allegheny County Health Department posts the required employer notice information N/A N/A N/A N/A
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 10 or more employees (unpaid if fewer than 10) and chain establishments N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A
Rhode Island N/A N/A All employers, for responding to a subpoena Employers with 50 or more employees Employers with 18 or more employees, under paid sick leave law (unpaid if fewer than 18 employees) N/A Employers with 15 or more employees All employers N/A All employers All employers N/A Employers with 18 or more employees (unpaid if fewer than 18 employees) N/A Employers with 18 or more employees, under paid sick leave law (unpaid if fewer than 18 employees) Employers with 50 or more employees All employers N/A N/A
South Carolina N/A Employers with 20 or more employees, for bone marrow donation N/A All employers N/A N/A Employers with 15 or more employees, for pregnancy leave N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, during state of emergency N/A N/A
South Dakota N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A
Tennessee N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers with 100 or more full-time employees at one location, for pregnancy, childbirth, adoption and nursing N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Employers are encouraged, but not required, to provide time off for school activities All employers All employers N/A
Texas N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers Emergency evacuation leave, all employers
Utah N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

 

N/A

 All employers All employers N/A
Vermont N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A N/A All employers Employers with six or more employees All employers N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under earned sick time law Employers with 15 or more employees N/A All employers, leave to vote in town meetings All employers, leave to attend town meetings
Virginia N/A Employers with 50 or more employees, for organ and bone marrow donation All employers All employers All employers All employers N/A N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A Employers of home health workers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Washington All employers, under paid family and medical leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A All employers N/A All employers Employers with eight or more employees All employers, under paid sick leave law N/A Employers with 20 or more full-time equivalent employees N/A N/A
Washington (SeaTac) N/A N/A N/A N/A Certain hospitality and transportation industry employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Certain hospitality and transportation industry employers N/A Certain hospitality and transportation industry employers, under paid sick leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A
Washington (Seattle) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Hotel worker victim leave, hotel employers
Washington (Tacoma) All employers, under paid sick and safe leave law N/A N/A N/A All employers, under paid sick and safe leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers, under paid sick and safe leave law N/A N/A N/A N/A
West Virginia N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers Employers with six or more full-time employees N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A
Wisconsin N/A Employers with 50 or more employees, for bone marrow and organ donation All employers N/A N/A All employers Employers with 50 or more employees

 

N/A

 All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers All employers N/A
Wyoming N/A N/A All employers, for criminal proceedings All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A All employers N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A All employers N/A