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Paid Sick Leave Calculator

See how much paid sick leave you’ve earned under your state’s law, how much you can still use, and when you’ll hit the yearly cap.

Choose your state, your employer's size and your usual hours. You'll see how much paid sick leave you've earned this year under your state's law, how much you can still earn, and when you'll hit the yearly cap.

employees

A rough number is fine. Some states give more at bigger employers.

h

Salaried exempt workers usually count as 40.

Optional, for an exact balance
h
h

Sick leave earned this year

59.81 hours

From about 1,794.29 hours worked since January 1, 2026, under California law.

You earn
1 hour per 30 worked · 1.33 a week
Yearly cap
None · use limit 40 hours a year
Available to use
40 hours (5 8-hour days)
Paid?
Yes, at your normal pay

California has no yearly cap on earning. At 40 hours a week, you'll have about 69.52 hours by December 31. Your employer can limit what you use to 40 hours a year and stop your balance at 80 hours.

Your employer can let you use as little as 40 hours (5 days) a year and stop your balance at 80 hours. Unused hours carry over.

Many states let employers make new hires wait 90 to 120 days before using sick leave, though you earn it from day one. Your employer can give more than the law, and many give it all up front on January 1.

State minimums for private employers, checked November 7, 2026. This counts from January 1; your employer's leave year may start on another date.

Quick answer

How much paid sick leave do you get?

Most common rate

1 per 30

1 hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked

Full time, per week

1.33 h

40 hours ÷ 30

Most common cap

40 hours

A year; 48 in Colorado and Minnesota, 56 or more in some

It depends on your state. Most laws give 1 hour for every 30 hours you work, up to a yearly cap. These are the state minimums for private employers:

Paid sick leave accrual and yearly caps by state
StateYou earnYearly cap
Alaska1 hour per 3040 h (1–14 employees); 56 h (15+ employees)
Arizona1 hour per 3024 h (1–14 employees); 40 h (15+ employees)
California1 hour per 30No cap; use limit 40 h, balance 80 h
Colorado1 hour per 3048 h
Connecticut1 hour per 3040 h (11+ employees)
District of Columbia1 per 87 (1–24), 1 per 43 (25–99), 1 per 37 (100+)24 h (1–24 employees); 40 h (25–99 employees); 56 h (100+ employees)
Illinois1 hour per 4040 h
Maine1 hour per 4040 h (11+ employees)
Maryland1 hour per 3040 h (15+ employees); unpaid below 15
Massachusetts1 hour per 3040 h (11+ employees); unpaid below 11
Michigan1 hour per 3040 h (1–10 employees); 72 h (11+ employees)
Minnesota1 hour per 3048 h
Nebraska1 hour per 3040 h (11–19 employees); 56 h (20+ employees)
Nevada1 hour per 5240 h (50+ employees)
New Jersey1 hour per 3040 h
New Mexico1 hour per 3064 h
New York1 hour per 3040 h (5–99 employees); 56 h (100+ employees); unpaid below 5
Oregon1 hour per 3040 h (10+ employees); unpaid below 10
Rhode Island1 hour per 3540 h (18+ employees); unpaid below 18
Vermont1 hour per 5240 h
Washington1 hour per 40No cap

No statewide law: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Virginia's law starts July 1, 2027. Missouri's was repealed in 2025.

Sick leave you earn by the hour

In about 20 states and Washington, D.C., paid sick leave isn't a perk. It's the law. You earn it as you work, usually 1 hour for every 30 hours, and your employer can't take it away or punish you for using it. A full-time worker earns about 1.3 hours a week, so the yearly cap of 40 hours comes after about 30 weeks.

Part-timers earn it too, at the same rate. The trouble is that pay stubs don't always show the balance, and the rules change by state, by employer size and, in some states, by year. This calculator applies your state's rule to your hours.

How to use the calculator

Step 1

Pick your state and employer size

Use the state where you work. Employer size counts all employees, not just your location.

Step 2

Enter your hours

Your usual weekly hours, and your start date if you started this year. For an exact balance, enter the hours worked this year from your pay stub.

Step 3

Check your balance

See the hours earned, what you can still use after the hours you've taken, and when you'll reach the cap.

How sick leave adds up

Divide the hours you've worked by your state's number. At 1 hour per 30, 600 hours worked earns 20 hours of sick leave. When you hit the yearly cap, you stop earning until the next leave year.

Full time: 40 hours a week ÷ 30 = 1.33 hours of sick leave a week

40-hour cap ÷ 1.33 a week = reached after 30 weeks, in late July

Part time, 20 hours a week: 0.67 a week, about 34.7 hours by the end of the year

Unused hours usually carry over to the next year, but your employer can still limit how many you use in a year. Most states don't make employers pay out unused sick leave when you leave.

What you can use it for

  • Your own illness, injury, medical appointment or preventive care.
  • Caring for a sick family member. Most states define family broadly, including children, parents, spouses, grandparents and siblings.
  • "Safe time" if you or a family member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
  • In Illinois, Maine and Nevada, the leave can be used for any reason.

Your employer can ask for a doctor's note only after a few consecutive days off, usually 3, and can't fire, cut hours or discipline you for using sick leave you've earned.

Tips

  • Check your pay stub. In some states, including California, your employer must show your sick leave balance on it or in writing each payday.
  • Know your city. New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Philadelphia and others have their own, sometimes better, rules.
  • PTO can count. If your employer gives general paid time off that you can use for illness on the same terms, it can meet the law.
  • Keep track of your hours. Your timesheet is the base for every hour you earn.

Questions about paid sick leave

How much paid sick leave do I earn per hour worked?

In most states with a law, 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Illinois, Maine and Washington use 1 per 40, Rhode Island 1 per 35, Vermont and Nevada about 1 per 52, and D.C. 1 per 37, 43 or 87 depending on employer size.

How many sick days do I get a year?

Usually up to 40 hours, or 5 eight-hour days. Colorado and Minnesota allow 48 hours, New Mexico 64, Michigan 72 at employers with 11 or more employees, and Alaska, Nebraska and New York 56 at larger employers.

Do part-time workers get paid sick leave?

Yes. In states with a law, part-time and temporary workers earn sick leave at the same rate per hour worked, so they earn fewer hours in total.

Does unused sick leave carry over?

In most states, yes, but your employer can still cap how much you use in a year and may cap your total balance. Most states don’t require payout of unused sick leave when you leave.

Is paid sick leave required in Texas or Florida?

No. Neither has a statewide paid sick leave law, and both stop cities from requiring one for private employers. Leave depends on your employer’s policy, plus unpaid FMLA leave if you qualify.

When can I start using my sick leave?

You start earning on your first day in most states, but many let employers make new employees wait 90 to 120 days before using it. After that, you can use it as you earn it.

Sources

  • State labor department guidance and statutes for each listed state and D.C., checked November 7, 2026, including Alaska Ballot Measure 1 (AS 23.10.066), Nebraska Healthy Families and Workplaces Act as amended by LB 415, Michigan Earned Sick Time Act as amended in 2025, Connecticut Public Act 24-8, and Virginia HB 5 / SB 199 (2026)
  • Missouri HB 567 (2025), repealing the Proposition A sick leave requirement effective August 28, 2025
  • A Better Balance, Overview of Paid Sick Time Laws in the United States