Sick Leave

Currently, there are no federal legal requirements for paid sick leave. For companies subject to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Act does require unpaid sick leave. FMLA provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for certain medical situations for either the employee or a member of the employee's immediate family. In many instances paid leave may be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave.

Employees are eligible to take FMLA leave if they have worked for their employer for at least 12 months, and have worked for at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months, and work at a location where at least 50 employees are employed by the employer within 75 miles.

Webpages on this Topic

Wage and Hour Division's Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A section of these FAQs cover medical leave questions.

The elaws FMLA Advisor Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
FMLA provides for unpaid sick leave. Look here for specific information about FMLA leave.

Coverage Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Fact Sheet
General information about who is covered by the FLSA.