Currently in the United States, federal law doesn’t guarantee workers a single paid day off, and many workers aren’t even entitled to unpaid time off. The Center for American Progress presents a series of fact sheets explaining the major types of laws that give workers rights in relation to workplace leave. This fact sheet addresses paid sick time laws.
Paid sick time refers to short-term time off that workers can use when they are sick, injured, or receiving medical treatment. This can include both serious conditions and everyday health needs such as the flu, a cold, or food poisoning. Workers also may be able to use their sick time to care for a loved one’s health needs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 79 percent of the private sector workforce has paid sick time. This means that more than 1 in 5 workers—21 percent—do not have even a single paid sick day.1
While most employees have some paid sick time, too many do not. Those in the lowest 25 percent of earners are much less likely to have paid sick time than the private sector workforce as a whole; only 58 percent have any paid sick time.2 Part-time workers (55 percent) are also much less likely to have paid sick time than full-time workers (87 percent).3
Access also varies substantially by industry. For example, in 2024, just over half of leisure and hospitality workers had paid sick time.4 For comparison, 96 percent of those in management, business, or financial occupations...
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