Overview of Paid Sick Time Laws in the United States:
Allegheny County, PA
Updated on December 22, 2021
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| Allegheny County, PA | |
| Who is covered? Note: City/county paid sick time laws cannot cover state government workers, and city, county, and state paid sick time laws cannot cover federal government workers. | Workers employed by an employer situated or doing business in Allegheny County that has 26 or more employees. The following workers are exempted: independent contractors, State and Federal employees, and seasonal employees (hired for a temporary period of not more than 16 weeks per calendar year and notified in writing at the time of hire of the beginning and end dates of the seasonal period). |
| Can sick time be used to care for loved ones? | Yes: children; parents; parents of a spouse or domestic partner; spouses; grandparents; spouses or domestic partners of grandparents; grandchildren; siblings; domestic partners; or an individual the employer has permitted the worker to care for at the time the worker requested to use sick time. |
| How is “child” defined? | Biological, adopted or foster child, stepchild or legal ward, a child of a domestic partner, or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parentis. |
| Can sick time be used for specific “safe time” purposes (related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking)? | No. |
| Can sick time be used under the law to bond with a new child and/or deal with a family member’s death? Note: It is possible that other laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act or a state equivalent, could provide eligible workers with unpaid leave for these purposes. | No. |
| Can sick time be used when a worker’s place of work or child’s school/place of care is closed by public health officials for a public health emergency? | Yes. |
| Rate at which workers earn paid sick time? | 1 hour per 35 hours worked within Allegheny County |
| Do workers have different sick time-related rights based on the size of their employer? If so, based on what employer-size threshold(s)? | Yes, workers who work for employers with fewer than 26 employees are exempt. |
| Amount of paid sick time that can be earned under the law per year? (Note: All of these paid sick time laws make it clear that these laws establish a minimum requirement, and employers can provide greater or more generous paid sick time benefits to their workers.) | Up to 40 hours per year. |
| When do workers begin to earn paid sick time? | On December 15, 2021 or at the commencement of employment, whichever is later. Workers can begin to use accrued paid sick time after 90 days from the start of employment. |
| Does unused sick time carry forward to the subsequent year? | Workers are entitled to carry forward unused paid sick time, but employers do not have to allow the use of more than 40 hours of sick time per year. Carry forward is not required if the employer provides at least 40 hours of paid sick time at the beginning of the calendar year. |
| Private Right of Action to go to Court? | No. |
| Are there waivers/ exemptions for workers covered by a valid Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)? | Yes, an employer with a collective bargaining agreement that makes available enough paid leave to meet the requirements of the ordinance and which can be used for the same purposes and under the same conditions does not need to provide additional sick time. |
| What Agency or Official Enforces the Law? | Allegheny County Health Department |
| For the statewide paid sick time laws: can cities in the state pass paid sick time laws that are broader than the state law? | N/A |
| Statutory Citation(s) | Allegheny County Health Department Rules and Regulations, art. XXIV, § 2401 et seq. |
| Additional Notes | Allegheny County’s paid sick time ordinance was enacted on Sept. 15, 2021, and went into effect on December 15, 2021. Note that although the County’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance is active and enforceable, fines will not be imposed for violations until one year after the December 15, 2021 effective date. For more information, see https://alleghenycounty.us/administrative/paid-sick-leave.aspx |
