Statement of Jocelyn Frye, President of the National Partnership for Women & Families WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 23, 2024 – Today, the Biden administration published a final rule to support higher pay and better work-family balance for workers by...
Understanding the Difference Between Paid Sick Days & Paid Family and Medical Leave
A National Partnership for Women & Families Resource
November 2022
Paid Sick Days
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PAID SICK DAYS
Short-term leave, usually taken intermittently in hourly or daily increments
Typical Uses:
- To recover from short-term illnesses (like the flu)
- To care for a sick family member
- To seek various types of assistance related to domestic violence
- To seek preventive care (well-baby visits, annual physicals)
How It Is Paid:
Paid sick and safe days are fully paid through payroll. Employees are paid at the same hourly rate and the pay is included in their regular paycheck.
What You Should Know:
Paid sick and safe days allow workers to accrue and use incremental, job-protected time away from work to attend to their and their family’s health. 14 states and 23 localities across the country have enacted and implemented a paid sick days law allowing workers to take time to attend doctors' appointments, pick up sick children, accommodate public health emergencies and business or school closures and address instances related to domestic violence.
PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
Longer-term leave (usually weeks or months, but may be taken intermittently)
Typical Uses:
- To undergo medical treatment or recover from a serious illness
- To bond with a new child (newborn, adopted, foster)
- To care for a family member with a serious illness
- For reasons related to a family member’s military service
How It Is Paid:
Paid family and medical leave is funded by payroll contributions. Typically, both the employer and employee contribute to the fund.
What You Should Know:
Paid family and medical leave provides workers with paid time away from work to focus on a serious personal illness, tend to a seriously ill family member or bond with a new child. To date, 12 states, including the District of Columbia, have enacted paid family and medical leave laws allowing workers to bond with a new child, care for an ill or ailing family member, recover from surgery, or manage a chronic illness while maintaining their financial security.
Workers Need Both Paid Sick Days and Paid Family and Medical Leave
At some point, every person will have a serious health issue or an ill family member that will need care. At the same time, every person gets sick and needs a day or two to recover. Paid sick days and paid family and medical leave provide workers with the time they need to fully care for themselves and their families.
Who Has Paid Sick Days?
14 States:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- The District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington
17 Cities and 4 Counties:
- Berkeley, CA
- Emeryville, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Santa Monica, CA
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Cook County, IL
- Montgomery County, MD
- Bloomington, MN
- Duluth, MN
- Minneapolis, MN
- St. Paul, MN
- New York City, NY
- Westchester County
- Philadelphia, PA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Allegheny County, PA
- Seattle, WA
- Tacoma, WA
Who Has Paid Family and Medical Leave?
14 States:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- The District of Columbia
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Washington