On March 15, 2020, the long-contested Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act (the “Act”) will officially take effect.
Under the Act, all employers with employees working in the City of Pittsburgh are required to provide paid sick leave to those employees. This past December, the Mayor’s Office of Equity issued its official guidelines, which sets forth the requirements of the Act.
In short, the Act establishes two tiers. For employers of 15 or more individuals (regardless of how many individuals that work in the City), that employer must provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours. For employers with less than 15 employees, hours are accrued at the same rate, but the maximum number of hours is capped at 24 hours. These requirements apply to full-time and part-time employees who work at least 35 hours per year within the geographical limits of the City of Pittsburgh. The Act also requires employers to advise employees of their rights under the Act and to track sick days taken under the Act.
We advise employers with employees that work in the City of Pittsburgh to review and familiarize themselves with the Act and the guidelines published by the Mayor’s Office of Equity. Please contact us if you have questions about the Act’s requirements, or if you would like an evaluation of your existing paid-sick leave policy to determine if it complies with the Act’s requirements.
