Voters in Alaska recently passed a ballot measure requiring employers to provide paid sick leave. It is scheduled to go into effect on July 1, 2025.
The number of required paid sick leave hours depends on the employee count:
- 15+ employees: 56 hours of paid sick leave per year
- 14 or fewer employees: 40 hours of paid sick leave per year
Some employees are exempt, including those working for non-profit organizations, in the fishing, agriculture or domestic service industry, specific apprentices, subject to the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, and part-time under age 18.
Paid sick leave must be able to be carried over. However, the law mandates that an employee may not take more than the max number of hours granted during a calendar year.
The accrued time can be used for:
- Treatment of an employee or family member’s physical or mental illness, condition, or injury
- Seeking a medical diagnosis or care for an employee or their family member
- Absences related to sexual assault, stalking, or domestic violence
Family members include immediate members, domestic partners, foster children, legal wards, or others for whom the employee is a legal guardian or foster/adoptive parent.
This article is informational and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with an employment lawyer or accountant for additional clarification on how these changes impact your company.
