For more information
Office of Benefits & Wage Compliance
215-686-0802
paidsickleave@phila.gov
Land and Title Building
100 S. Broad St, 4
th
Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Paid sick leave law
What is sick leave?
Sick leave is paid or unpaid time off from work that is mandated by law in the City of Philadelphia.
What to know
Sick leave can be used for an employee’s own health needs, to care for a family member, or for
leave due to domestic abuse or sexual assault.
How does it work?
Employees can earn 1 hour of sick leave for every 40 hours they work. A maximum of 40 sick leave
hours may be earned in a calendar year. Sick leave may be used after an employee has worked a
minimum of 90 days. It can be requested verbally or in writing and must be paid at the worker’s
normal rate.
Who has it?
Employees who work at least 40 hours a year in Philadelphia can earn sick leave. Employers with
10 or more employees must provide paid sick leave. Employers with 9 or fewer employees must
provide unpaid sick leave.
Employees not eligible for sick leave are: independent contractors, seasonal workers, adjunct
professors, employees hired for less than 6 months, interns, pool employees, employees covered
by collective bargaining agreements, state & federal employees.
Employer responsibility
Employers must notify employees that they are entitled to sick leave. They must also tell
employees the amount of sick leave an employee has and the terms of its use. Employers cannot
require employees to find a replacement worker in order to use sick leave. Employers cannot
retaliate against an employee who exercises their sick leave right.
Filing a formal complaint
If an employer refuses to provide earned sick leave or retaliates against employees for using sick
leave, the employee can make a formal complaint to the Office of Benefits and Wage Compliance
via email or mail listed below.
