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Paid Leave - Legislative Trends and Updates

Updated

Leave Law Trends

This resource is intended to provide a summary of recent leave law articles that Avionte has compiled. These state and local ordinances ensure that employees are provided with paid leave for various reasons including personal illness, family member's illness or care, and personal safety. Currently, there are more than a dozen states that have mandatory paid leave laws in place.

State / Jurisdiction:

New Leave of Absence Laws Recently Passed 

Watch the Avionté Knowledge Base for more detailed articles on these state's new paid sick leave initiatives that just passed and will be effective in 2025. Avionté is reviewing these new laws in more detail to determine product impact and to help facilitate compliance for our customers. 

  • Alaska – new law effective July 1, 2025 
    • Accrual rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked 
    • Annual limit of 40 or 56 hours (based on employer size) 
    • Carryover permitted 
  • Missouri  – new law effective May 1, 2025 
    • Accrual rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked 
    • Annual limit of 40 or 56 hours (based on employer size) 
    • Carryover limit allowed is 80 hours, but no requirement on accrual caps 
    • Notice required prior to effective date 
  • Nebraska – new law effective October 1, 2025 
    • Accrual rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked 
    • Annual limit of 40 or 56 hours (based on employer size) 
    • Carryover permitted 
    • Notice required prior to effective date 

 

Canada

Update on Prince Edward Island Paid Sick Leave

The new paid sick leave law for Prince Edward Island, Canada, is effective October 1, 2024. To help comply with this new plan, Avionté has created an accrual structure for system administrators to activate for use in this Canadian province. For more details on how to activate this sick leave accrual plan, please refer to our AviontéCLASSIC Back Office Release Notes - SEPTEMBER 2024

 

Ontario Proposes Amendments to Employment Laws

The newly introduced Bill 190, the Working for Workers Five Act, proposes amendments to existing employment-related statutes as noted below.

  • Ontario Employment Standards Act (ESA) - requires notice in job postings about vacancy of position; required responses to applicants who interviewed for the job; prohibits the requirement of sick notes from health practitioners to trigger ESA sick leave; increased fines for noncompliance
  • Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) - expands definitions of harassment to apply to the virtual workplace; allows electronically posted information by employers; allows for remote committee meetings; expands application to telework arrangements; excludes private residences as "industrial establishments"

This law would also provide new opportunities for skilled trade workers by expanding apprenticeship opportunities for high school students and the creation of an online job-matching portal. The employment process for internationally trained workers would be more accessible with a simplified registration process that concentrates on outcomes within the foreign credential system. Avionté will continue to monitor this legislation for updates.

 

Prince Edward Island's New Paid Sick Leave Program 

Prince Edward Island’s Bill 106, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, will be effective on October 1, 2024. Bill 106 establishes a new paid sick leave program in Prince Edward Island that allows employees to earn up to three days of paid sick leave. Refer to this Littler article for more details. 

 

Alaska

Alaska Paid Leave Effective July 2025 

Paid sick leave, as defined by Ballot Measure 1, must be provided to Alaska employees effective July 1, 2025. Notification about the details of this sick leave and terms of use must be provided to new hires, and current employees need to be notified by July 31, 2025. Alaska recently updated the FAQ document on their Department of Labor and Workforce Development site.  

Avionté will release updates to support this accrual plan for availability on July 1. 

 
For information on accrual plans supported by Avionté and details on system configurations, please refer to these Knowledge Base articles: 

Alaska Paid Sick Leave Effective July 2025 

Starting July 1, 2025, Alaska employers will be required to provide employees with sick leave under the provisions of Ballot Measure 1. Employees are allowed to earn at least 1 hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked and may earn up to 40 or 56 hours of sick leave per year, depending on the size of the employer. Refer to Alaska's Wage and Hour FAQ for details. 
 
For information on accrual plans supported by Avionté and details on system configurations, please refer to these Knowledge Base articles: 

 

California

California Leave Law Modifications

As the recent legislative session in California ended, these legal changes impacting employers were signed by Governor Newsom and take effect January 1, 2025. 

Paid Family Leave – Changes to Trigger Benefits 

Under AB 2123, California’s paid family leave (PFL) program, employers will no longer be able to require that employees use up to two weeks of accrued vacation prior to receiving PFL wage replacement benefits. This could result in an allotment of accrued vacation time still available for employees' use after they return from a leave of absence. 

Paid Sick Leave Law - Broadened Protections for Victims of Violence 

An expanded definition of the qualifying reasons to utilize this leave under The Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act (“HWHFA”) will take effect, allowing employees who are victims of qualifying acts of violence to take paid time away from work to create a safer environment and seek justice under AB 249. 

 

California's New Leave Rights for Reproductive Loss 

As of January 1, 2024, employers in California need to provide paid leave in the event of a reproductive loss, while also protecting employees from termination, discrimination, or retaliation as a result. These protections are provided under a new, separate provision (SB 848) under California's Fair Employment and Housing Act. Employers should review their current leave law policy to make sure this is included, as well as educating managers and documenting this request process. 

 

California Clarifies Paid Sick Leave for Part-Time Workers 

California's DLSE (Division of Labor Standards Enforcement) has updated its FAQ document to clarify paid sick leave discrepancy for part-time employees. Ultimately, the January law presumes full-time employment, and employers using a 30:1 ratio for a part-time employee are in compliance with California’s new PSL law. See the Fisher Phillips article for more information or refer to this article by CDF Labor Law. 

 

Connecticut

2025 Connecticut Paid Sick Leave Law Update 

In the spring of 2024, the Connecticut legislature approved a major revision to expand coverage of its statute mandating paid sick leave over the next few years. The current threshold of Connecticut’s paid sick leave law (HB 5005) applies to employers with at least 50 employees, and as of January 1, 2025, this is extended to include employers with 25 or more employees. 

 
Also effective January 1, 2025, the “service worker” concept has been removed from the law entirely, and employers are now required to provide paid sick leave to all employees (with limited exceptions for seasonal employees and certain unionized employees). More information is available in this article by Jackson Lewis. 
 

Avionté has made updates to help clients be compliant with Connecticut Paid Leave requirements. Please refer to our Release Notes and our Knowledge Base article for more information. 

Connecticut Paid Sick Leave Law Updates 

Now awaiting Governor Ned Lamont's signature, the Connecticut legislature approved a major revision to expand coverage of its statute mandating paid sick leave over the next few years. 

The current threshold of Connecticut’s paid sick leave law (HB 5005) applies to employers with at least 50 employees. Under the new law, that definition of covered employers will be adjusted according to this schedule: 

  • As of Jan. 1, 2025 – Employers with 25 or more employees in the state 
  • As of Jan. 1, 2026 – Employers with 11 or more employees in the state 
  • As of Jan. 1, 2027 – Employers with one or more employees in the state 

 

Also beginning on January 1, 2025, the “service worker” concept will be removed from the law entirely, and employers will be required to provide paid sick leave to all employees (with limited exceptions for seasonal employees and certain unionized employees). More information is available in this article by Jackson Lewis. 

 

Delaware

Leave Law Update – Reminders for 2025 

Employers in this state will also begin deducting employee contributions for the Delaware Paid Leave Program beginning on January 1, 2025. These contributions are based on an employee's earnings. For more information on how Avionté assists our clients in maintaining compliance with this law, please see our December 2024 release notes and Knowledge Base article. Benefits for employees will begin January 1, 2026. 

 

Delaware Paid Family Medical Leave Enrollment 

Beginning September 1, 2024, employers can register for Delaware's Paid Leave program, and December 1, 2024, is the deadline for employers to apply for an approved private insurance plan if they do not enroll in the state plan. Employers will begin deducting employee contributions on January 1, 2025, and contributions are based on an employee's earnings. Rates are guaranteed at 0.8% of weekly wages through 2026. Employers can require employees to contribute up to half the cost through payroll deductions, and employers' quarterly contributions will be collected 30 days after each quarter ends. Initial benefit claims will be accepted on January 1, 2026. For more information about the program, review this FAQ document on the state website and details for employers are available in this FAQ document. Please refer to this KB article for details on how this will be available to be configured in Avionté following an upcoming release. 

 

Illinois

Cook County, Illinois Revises Paid Leave Rules 

The Cook County Board of Commissioners recently approved revisions to their human rights regulations implementing the county’s paid leave ordinance. Among other changes, the revisions to their paid leave ordinance include reverting to the ordinance’s “hours worked” standard rather than allowing employees to accrue paid leave. For more details, refer to the Illinois' Cook County website and this Littler article.  

 

Illinois Sick Leave: Accrual Updates in Avionté Classic  

Avionté has made updates in back office to help manage Illinois accruals for sick leave and paid leave plans specific to the city of Chicago and Cook County. Active accrual plans in the system will have the appropriate paid/sick leave plan automatically applied and hours accrued according to the work assignment. For more information, please refer to our Release Notes issued on September 6, 2024. 

 

Chicago Finalizes Rules for Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave

The final rules were published by the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection earlier this month. Both the ordinance and interpretive rules are effective July 1, 2024. The rules allow a more flexible definition of the accrual year as a 12-month consecutive period, and the rules address the carryover of unused leave, in addition to the use of leave and pre-approval requirements. Employees accrue one hour of paid leave and paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. The final rules confirm that employers must carryover unused leave even if the hours were frontloaded. Refer to this article by Littler for more information.

Better Late than Never: Final Rules for IL Leave Law 

Final regulations were published on April 30, 2024, by the Illinois Department of Labor to clarify the Paid Leave for All Workers Act. These final rules define what is required under pre-existing policies that may be exempt from the Act. Other areas covered in the regulations include carryover leave, frontloading paid leave, denial of paid leave requests, and rate of pay calculations. Employers should review their vacation policies, notices, and recordkeeping to ensure compliance with these regulations and can refer to the state's FAQ document. 

Chicago Leave Law Updates are Effective July 2024 

Chicago employers were granted a bit of a reprieve and now have until July 1, 2024 to allow their covered employees to accrue and use paid sick leave. The amended ordinance requires employers to provide paid sick leave and a new, separate bank of leave that employees can use for any reason at all. Details on the leave are located on Chicago's city website. There are notice requirements, but these may be posted electronically; review the city's FAQ document for details. Notably, Chicago also made updates to its minimum wage and wage theft rules in the past year.

 

Maine

Reminder: Maine Earned Paid Leave Update Now in Effect 

Maine's amended earned paid leave law clarified the rules for carrying over unused leave. Under the new rule by the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL), any leave that was carried over from the previous year does not count against the next year's accrual limit. This gives employees the opportunity to accrue up to 40 hours of EPL annually, regardless of any unused hours remaining from the prior year, allowing for a potential balance of more than 40 hours at any point in time. Avionté has updated the maximum accrual to 80 hours to accommodate this change corresponding with the effective date of September 24, 2025. For more details, see this article by Littler. 

 

Maine Earned Paid Leave Update Effective September 2025 

Maine has enacted legislation that clarifies the rules for carrying over unused leave under the state’s paid leave law. As enacted, the original law didn’t address carryover of unused leave. However, the Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) has now issued a final rule indicating that employees with accrued and unused paid leave at the end of the year are entitled to carry it over to the next year, up to a maximum of 40 hours. 

 

Amendment Legislative Document 55 increases the number of hours of leave an employee must be able to accumulate year-over-year. Specifically, the employee retains the right to carry over unused paid leave into the next year. However, carryover from the previous year may not reduce the total number of hours of paid leave an employee is entitled to accrue in the following year. Effectively, this results in an increased maximum accrual of 80 hours annually since there are 40 hours of carryover and an additional 40 hours of annual accrual allowed. 

 

Avionté is updating its accrual plan to accommodate this change before the effective date of September 24, 2025. For more details, see this article by Littler. 

Leave Law Update – Reminders for 2025 

As mentioned in a previous BOLD Bulletin article, payroll contributions under Maine's new Paid Family Medical Leave will begin January 1, 2025. For details on how Avionté can help you meet your compliance requirements relative to this law, refer to our December 2024 release notes and Knowledge Base article on this topic.

 

Maine Updates its Paid Family Leave 

Effective July 16, 2024, Maine will redefine what constitutes a benefit year and the provisions of intermittent leave under the state's Paid Family Medical Leave and Insurance Act. The new definition of "benefit year" means the 12-month period beginning on the first day of the calendar week immediately preceding the first date of approved family or medical leave rather than the initial date when the family leave benefits or medical leave benefits begin. The amendment also requires employers to provide intermittent leave to employees in increments equaling not less than one day, or on a reduced leave schedule otherwise agreed to in increments of one hour or more. The intermittent leave revision also prohibits employers from reducing the total amount of leave to which employees are entitled. 

 

Maryland

Maryland Family Medical Leave Deferred to 2027 

Originally slated to take effect on July 1, Maryland delayed the effective date for payroll contributions for their Paid Family Medical Leave program until January 1, 2027. Avionté will continue to monitor and provide updates as the implementation date draws closer. 

 

Maryland Further Delays Paid FMLI Program 

Legislators have postponed the implementation of its Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program from October 1, 2024 until July 1, 2025, when employers will be required to begin making contributions to the program. Benefits for workers will begin July 1, 2026. Maryland employers should update their policies and procedures to prepare to comply with the new requirements under SB0485/ HB0571. 

 

Maryland Paid Leave Contributions Begin 10/1 

The Time to Care Act of 2022 established a paid family and medical leave program for Maryland employees. This provides eligible employees up to 12 weeks of paid leave through Family and Medical Leave Insurance (“FAMLI”). FAMLI will be funded by both employer and employee payroll contributions. Required contributions are currently scheduled to begin on October 1, 2024, although funds will not be accessible to employees until January 1, 2026. Maryland employers should start planning for the program's implementation and give advance notice of these upcoming payroll deductions. For more details, refer to this JD Supra article. 

 

Massachusetts

Massachusetts PFML Updated Guidance

The Commonwealth's Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) plan has been in effect since November 2023, but their guidance on allowing employees to supplement or "top off" their benefit with any type of accrued paid leave (e.g. vacation, sick time, or other paid time off - PTO) contained a restriction for this choice "only if the employer's policies permitted them to do so." In the September 2024 version of the Mass. PFML application paperwork, employees are allowed to use PTO to supplement their PFML benefit as long as the combined amount does not exceed their average weekly wages. For more details, refer to the state's website

 

Mass. Updates Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Law  

Similar to other states, the Massachusetts legislation recently made changes to allow employees to use both PFML and their accrued leave balances to help fully replace the income they would have otherwise received when they were not on leave. This means that employees have the option to either use accrued paid leave to "top off" or save that paid time off for a later time. Employers' contribution rate for PFML and employees' maximum weekly benefit also increased for 2024. More details found on the Commonwealth's website and in this article. 

 

Michigan

Michigan Leave Updates 

Just before the effective date of February 21, 2025, a late amendment to House Bill 4002 included changes to the allowed carryover hours, reinstatement requirement, and waiting period for sick leave in Michigan. Employees will now be able to carry over up to 72 hours of unused sick leave to the next year, an increase from the previous limit. The "gap days" reinstatement has been extended from the prior duration to 60 days. Lastly, the waiting period until sick leave can be used has been finalized as 120 days. Changes to this accrual in Avionté's Admin tools for clients to activate are outlined in our March 2025 Release Notes. Configuration details on state sick leave accrual plans are available in this Knowledge Base article. 

 

Note that Michigan employers were also required to update new posters and provide written notice to employees about the terms and requirements for earned sick time by March 23, 2025. More details on this leave law can be found on Michigan's website.  

 

Michigan Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) Updated 

Following a late-breaking debate between the Michigan House and Senate, they came to an agreement late last Thursday on House Bill 4002 and Senate Bill 8 to amend the Michigan Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA). Governor Gretchen Witmer signed the bill and it went into effect as scheduled along with minimum wage increase and tip credit on February 21, 2025.  

This accrual has been made available in Admin tools for clients to activate and complete the set-up. Please refer to our  Knowledge Base article on state sick leave accrual plans for configuration details. 

Please note that Avionte is aware of the revisions made in the amendment last week to the carryover, waiting period, and reinstatement requirements. These updates are currently in process within our development team. 

Michigan employers must update new posters and provide written notice to employees about the terms and requirements for earned sick time by March 23, 2025. More details on these notifications will be found on Michigan's website.  

For more information, refer to Avionté's Release Notes on this topic and this helpful article by Husch Blackwell that describes the changes in detail. 

 

Michigan Restores Minimum Wage and Sick Leave Laws 

The Michigan Supreme Court reinstated changes to the state minimum wage and paid sick leave laws on July 31, 2024. A new wage schedule will take effect in February 2025 with a minimum wage of $12 per hour and gradual scheduled increases that will also eventually eliminate the current lower minimum wage for tipped workers. The sick leave provisions will require many businesses to provide paid time off for workers, allowing them to accrue up to 72 hours annually. 

 

Minnesota

Minnesota PFML Launches January 2026 

Minnesota's Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program launches January 1, 2026. Here's what staffing companies need to do now: 

Key Deadlines 

Date  Requirement 
December 1, 2025  Employee notifications due 
January 1, 2026  Premium collection begins 
April 30, 2026  First premium payment due 

 

Employee Notification Required by December 1 

All employers must notify employees about PFML benefits by December 1, 2025. This includes: 

Workplace Poster: 

  • Post in a conspicuous location at each worksite 
  • Must be in English AND any language spoken by 5+ employees or independent contractors 
  • Downloadable posters available on the Minnesota government website 

Individual Written Notice: 

  • Provide to all current employees by December 1, 2025 
  • Provide to new hires within 30 days of start date 
  • Must be in the employee's native language 
  • Include: benefit availability, premium deduction amounts, and how to file a claim 
  • Employees must acknowledge receipt 

A template notice is available here.  Additional employer resources are also available here. 

Complete Your Account Setup 

If you have a Minnesota UI account, it was auto-converted to UI/PFML: 

  1. Log in at www.uimn.org and designate a Paid Leave Administrator 
  2. Verify your account information is current 

Determine Your Small Employer Status: Employers with 30 or fewer MN employees and average wages ≤ $107,016 qualify for a 50% reduced premium rate. Review your Q4 2024 and Q1-Q3 2025 wage reports to determine if you meet both criteria. 

Additional Resources:  

Minnesota Paid Leave: 651-556-7777 | EmployerServices.DEED@state.mn.us |  

 

Minnesota Meal & Rest Break Amendments  

Minnesota recently passed amendments to their meal and rest break requirements under the budget bill SF 17. Effective January 1, 2026, Minnesota will require employers to allow meal and rest breaks of specified lengths. Employers should review and revise their policies and procedures to ensure compliance with these new requirements. Penalties will be assessed if employees are not allowed to take the newly expanded definitions of meal and rest breaks. It is anticipated that the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry may issue regulations or guidance before the end of year, so Avionte will continue to monitor these developments. For more details refer to these articles by Littler and The National Law Review. 

Minnesota DOLI Proposes Rules on Sick & Safe Time 

New rules have been proposed by the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry stating that employees who are anticipated to work over 50 percent in Minnesota within an accrual year would qualify to accrue earned sick and safe time leave (ESST) for the total of all hours worked regardless of location. The proposed rules for this leave that has been effective since January 1, 2024, would now also allow employers to provide an "advance" on ESST hours. If agreed upon, they would also clarify that employers may not require employees to use ESST, but rather employees may choose to use paid ESST or take unpaid and “unprotected” leave. These rules were open for public comment through April 2, 2025, and are now under review. For more information, refer to this article by Ogletree Deakins.  

 

Minnesota Legislature is in Session: Pending Employment-related Bills 

Here are some important bills introduced by the legislature for us to monitor:  

  • Earned sick and safe time (ESST) leave requirements: HF 4462 and HF 3882 / SF 3787 
  • Updates to broaden impact of Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA): HF 4021 / SF 4292 
  • Salary ranges to be required in job postings: HF 3587 / SF 3725 
  • Restrictive employment covenants for service providers -  prohibiting staffing agencies from preventing employees from working directly for customers: HF 3456 / SF 3721 
  • Unemployment benefits for workers on strike during a labor dispute 

More details can be found in this Ogletree Deakins article. 

Minnesota ESST Law Effective as of the New Year 

While the state of Minnesota's ESST law went into effect on January 1, 2024, several cities in Minnesota already have similar laws on the books. Recently, the city of St. Paul issued new guidance on interpreting its existing ordinance, which now aligns more closely with the state law. The state law also expands protections for pregnancy and lactation accommodations. More information can be found on the MN Department of Labor and Industry website. 

 

Missouri 

Missouri Sick Leave to be Deactivated 

Based on the repeal of the newly enacted paid sick time law, Missouri employers are no longer required to allow employees to accrue paid sick leave as of August 28, 2025. According to Avionté's discussion with the Missouri Department of Labor representative, employers are encouraged to consult with their employment law attorney for legal advice. Under Proposition A, employers must have permitted the accrual since May 1, 2025, during the time period that the law was effective. Given that this law allows for invocation of the private right of action, employers in Missouri may choose to allow their employees to utilize any earned leave and either roll it over or provide a payout of any unused earned leave by the end of the year. For more information, refer to the Missouri Department of Labor website. 

 

Avionté will be updating the sick leave plan in Admin Tools to make it inactive.  Additionally, employee accrual records will be updated with an end date, although the employee accrual will remain active as employers can choose to pay out the accrued time off.  

Missouri Repealed Paid Sick Leave 

Governor Mike Kehoe signed House Bill 567 on July 11, 2025, which will repeal the earned paid sick time provisions and also repeal the Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustment to minimum wage effective August 28, 2025. Employers may continue to offer employees earned paid sick time if they choose to do so, but it is no longer required as of that date. This accrual can be deactivated within Avionté. 

 

The paid sick leave requirement that voters passed in November was repealed by legislators, citing burdensome recordkeeping and compliance obligations. This will also maintain the state's minimum wage law at $15 per hour, and it extends the wage requirement to public employers as well as private employers. Visit Missouri's Department of Labor website for more details.  

 

Missouri Paid Sick Leave Now In Effect 

The Missouri Supreme Court upheld Senate Bill 729 ("Proposition A"), and it went into effect as planned on May 1, 2025, despite heavy debate in the legislature to undo the new law that requires employers to provide paid earned sick leave in addition to raising the state minimum wage rate. Avionté has made configurations for this accrual plan to comply with Missouri's new employee benefit, and details can be found in our May edition of the Release Notes and in Avionté's Knowledge Base article on state sick leave accrual plans. 

 

Visit the state's FAQ section of its website for more information, and refer to this helpful article by Fisher Phillips that includes a compliance checklist for employers. 

 

Missouri Paid Sick Leave Effective Soon 

The Missouri state legislature has been debating a proposal to undo the new law that will go into effect on May 1, 2025.  Senate Bill 729 ("Proposition A") is set to mandate paid sick leave and raise minimum wage. Avionté is preparing updates to allow configurations for this leave of absence to comply with Missouri's new employee benefit. While there are some exemptions, there is no exception specific to small employers. Notable features of this leave include the following: 
 

  • Accrual rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked  
  • Annual limit of 40 or 56 hours (based on employer size)  
  • Carryover limit allowed is 80 hours but no requirement on accrual caps  
  • Notice required prior to effective date  

 

More information can be found in the state's FAQ section of its website, and configuration details are found in Avionté's Knowledge Base article on state sick leave accrual plans. Please continue to monitor the BOLD Bulletin and Release Notes as we will provide any additional updates as needed. 

 

Missouri's New Sick Leave Law Under Challenge 

Missouri’s new minimum wage and paid sick leave law (“Proposition A”) is currently subject to two legal challenges: (1) a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of the law, and (2) a house bill that would modify the minimum wage component of the law and eliminate paid sick leave components of the law if passed by the Senate and approved by Governor Kehoe. As it stands currently, the paid sick leave component is scheduled to go into effect on May 1, 2025. This law also requires employers to provide notification to employees by April 15, 2025, and in lieu of any legal decisions, employers should continue plans to comply with these requirements under the law. The poster and notice can be found on Missouri's Department of Labor website. 

 

Missouri Introduces Paid Sick Leave 

Missouri's new law, SB 729, that creates paid sick leave from employment, will be effective May 1, 2025. Please continue to monitor the BOLD Bulletin and Release Notes as Avionté prepares to make updates to allow configurations for this leave of absence to comply with Missouri's new employee benefit. Some notable features of this leave include the following: 
 

  • Accrual rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked  
  • Annual limit of 40 or 56 hours (based on employer size)  
  • Carryover limit allowed is 80 hours but no requirement on accrual caps  
  • Notice required prior to effective date  

 

More information can be found in this article by Husch Blackwell. Also refer to our Knowledge Base article: Sick Leave (Accrual) Overview – Avionte Classic. 

 

Nebraska

Now in Effect: Nebraska Paid Sick Leave  

Avionté has now released a product update to include this paid sick leave plan for Nebraska to comply with legislation (LB415) that amends the Nebraska Healthy Workplaces and Families Act and is now in effect as of October 1, 2025. Details of the plan can be found in the Nebraska Department of Labor's  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. See more details on accrual plans supported by Avionté in these Knowledge Base articles: 

  • Sick leave: Sick Leave (Accrual) Overview 
  • Accrual Set-up: Accruals Setup - Admin Tools 

 

Reminder: Nebraska Paid Sick Leave Eff. Oct. 1, 2025 

The legislation (LB415) that amends the Nebraska Healthy Workplaces and Families Act will be effective October 1, 2025. Avionté is releasing a product update to include a paid sick leave plan for Nebraska. Details of the plan can be found in the Nebraska Department of Labor's  Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. Employers are required to provide written notice of the Act to new hires and were required to notify existing employees by September 15, 2025.  

 

Details on accrual plans supported by Avionté are available within these Knowledge Base articles: 

  • Sick leave: Sick Leave (Accrual) Overview 
  • Accrual Set-up: Accruals Setup - Admin Tools 

Nebraska Paid Sick Leave Effective October 2025 

The state of Nebraska enacted legislation (LB415) amending the Nebraska Healthy Workplaces and Families Act that will be effective October 1, 2025. Avionté will release a product update  to include a paid sick leave plan for Nebraska that accrues one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked. More details are found within the recently updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document from the Nebraska Department of Labor. Employers must provide written notice of the Act to existing employees by September 15, 2025, or at the time of employment for new hires after that date.  

 

Details on accrual plans supported by Avionté are available within these Knowledge Base articles: 

  • Sick leave: Sick Leave (Accrual) Overview 
  • Accrual Set-up: Accruals Setup - Admin Tools 

 

New York

NYC Amended Rules for Paid Prenatal Leave 

Since January 1, 2025, New York employers are required under New York Labor Law to provide up to 20 hours of paid leave during any 52–week period for employees to receive prenatal care. New York City’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) recently amended the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act’s (ESSTA) rules to incorporate these rights. Effective on July 2, 2025, these NYC rules impose additional requirements beyond the state Paid Prenatal Leave Law, including a required written policy, balance notification, and recordkeeping. Visit the DCWP's site to view their updated Notice of Employee Rights that includes the right to paid prenatal leave. More details are available in these articles by The National Law Review and Ogletree Deakins. 

 

New York to Provide Paid Parental Leave

Becoming the first state to mandate paid prenatal leave, the state legislature passed an amendment to New York Labor Law § 196-b that will require employers to provide up to 20 hours of paid leave in a 52-week period for pregnant employees to attend prenatal medical appointments and procedures. This is the first law in the United States to provide paid, protected prenatal leave for pregnant employees in addition to existing paid leave entitlements. This amendment takes effect January 1, 2025. For more details, refer to this article by Littler Mendelson. 

 

New York to Mandate Paid Prenatal Leave and Sunset COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave 

Becoming the first state to mandate paid prenatal leave, the state legislature passed an amendment to New York Labor Law § 196-b that will require employers to provide up to 20 hours of paid leave in a 52-week period for pregnant employees to attend prenatal medical appointments and procedures. This is the first law in the United States to provide paid, protected prenatal leave for pregnant employees in addition to existing paid leave entitlements. This amendment takes effect January 1, 2025. The New York budget for fiscal 2025 also stipulated an end date of July 31, 2025 to the COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Law. For more details, refer to this article by Littler Mendelson. 

 

New York City – Added Exposure Under Leave Law 

As of March 20, 2024, employees in New York City now have a private right of action to directly sue their employers for claims of violations of their rights under the NYC Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (“ESSTA”). This amendment creates increased risk for employers, who should consider reviewing their leave policies to ensure compliance with the detailed New York and NYC requirements. For more details, visit NYC's website and this National Law Review article.  

 

Oregon

Oregon Leave Law Updates for July 2024 

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek recently signed new legislation that will simplify the state's leave laws. Amendments to both the Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) program and the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) will be effective July 1, 2024. The intention of these updates is to minimize the overlap between the types of qualifying leave for OFLA and PLO by clarifying the coverage. Under the revised law, both types of leave may not be used concurrently where they overlap. 

As of July 1, OFLA will only cover : 

  • Sick child leave, both for minor illness and a serious health condition or due to childcare/school closures in a public health emergency 
  • Bereavement leave (maximum of 4 weeks within a 1-year period) 
  • Pregnancy disability leave 
  • Leave for foster child placement or adoption (only until PLO covers it in 2025) 

PLO revisions effective July 1:  

  • Eligible employees may take the full amount of entitled leave under OFLA and PLO in a benefit year 
  • Employees must be allowed to use accrued paid-time-off (PTO) benefits to supplement or "top off" their paid leave 
  • Employers can decide whether employees can exceed their full wages by using PTO in addition to paid leave, or they can cap this so it doesn't 100 percent of wages  

Additional guidance is anticipated from the Bureau of Oregon Labor and Industry (BOLI) as the effective date approaches, so please refer to the BOLI website for updated information. 

Oregon's Upcoming Changes to Leave Laws 

The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) amended the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) and sick time rules on March 1, 2024. In addition to these rule changes, the legislative changes to OFLA are expected to go into effect on July 1, 2024, so it is advisable for employers to review and revise their family and sick leave policies and procedures accordingly. Refer to this Barran Liebman LLP article for more information. 

 

Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh Expands Paid Sick Leave Requirements  

The City of Pittsburgh has enacted legislation (Ordinance 11), which expands its paid sick leave law requirements, and is effective January 1, 2026. Under the Paid Sick Days Act, an employer must provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked (previously every 35 hours) in a calendar year. Employees with 15 or more employees must be able to accrue and use 72 hours of paid sick leave (previously 40), while employers with less than 15 Employees must be able to accrue and use 48 hours of paid sick leave (previously 24). Ordinance 11 also clarifies that employers are not required to carry over paid sick leave if they frontload the required amount of paid sick leave (72 or 48 hours) per calendar year at the beginning of each year. More details and an informational brochure are found on Pittsburgh's city website. 

 

Avionté will update the accrual plan for Pittsburgh that will be available prior to the effective date. 

 

Rhode Island

Increased Leave for Caretakers Under Rhode Island Law 

Employees in Rhode Island are currently allowed up to six weeks of protected leave and partial wage replacement under the state's Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) Law. Under House Bill 7171 that will be effective January 1, 2025, employees will be allowed an additional week of leave to bond with a newborn / newly adopted child or to care for a seriously ill family member. That amount of leave will increase from seven weeks in 2025 to eight weeks in 2026. For more details, please refer to this article published in The National Law Review. 

 

Vermont

Vermont Family and Medical Leave 

Phase II of Vermont's Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) benefits began on July 1, 2024, under this new program that went into effect on February 15, 2024. Contributions can be fully paid by the employer, split between the employer and employee, or fully paid for by the employees. With all three of these options, premiums are remitted to The Hartford insurance company by the employer, and the employee portion is collected through payroll deduction. The final phase of Vermont FMLI benefits will be available to purchase in 2025 with benefits beginning July 1, 2025. Details about the program are available on the Vermont government website and details for employers are available in this FAQ document. Please refer to this KB article for details on how this will be available to be configured in Avionté following an upcoming release. 

 

Washington

Washington State Expands Paid Sick Leave Protections 

Washington enacted Senate Bill 5793 earlier this spring, which will be effective January 1, 2025, Under this state law, paid sick leave protections will be expanded. Washington originally enacted employer-required paid sick leave in 2018, and under this existing law, employers must offer at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. The 2025 update does not change the accruals for the state's existing paid sick leave. Rather, it clarifies that sick leave could be taken in response to school or childcare closures due to an emergency declared by local, state, or federal government, instead of during a “public emergency,” a term that was undefined by the bill or related statutes.
  

Washington Pilots Paid Leave for Transportation Drivers 

The state of Washington has implemented a pilot program for Transportation Network Company (TNC) drivers under WAC 192-511. The temporary program providing paid family and medical leave coverage is effective starting July 1, 2024 until December 31, 2028 

 

 

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