Sponsors (155)
Introduced February 12, 2026 by Rosa L. Delauro · Last progress February 12, 2026
The bill expands and clarifies paid sick‑leave coverage, preserves stronger existing protections, and strengthens enforcement and data collection — but it does so at the cost of higher employer and taxpayer expenses, added administrative complexity, and continued uneven protections for workers in weaker jurisdictions.
Workers who already have stronger paid‑leave in contracts or under state/local law (including union-negotiated benefits and employer-offered plans) keep those superior protections rather than being rolled back to the federal minimum.
More workers are explicitly covered or clarified under the law — including many federal employees (Congress, GAO, Library of Congress, OPM-covered staff) and rail-industry craft employees — and family and domestic‑violence definitions are broadened/ aligned with VAWA to improve access to protections.
All covered employees (including part‑time and rehired workers) get clear accrual and use rules — 1 hour accrued per 30 hours worked, broadly usable for illness, caregiving, medical appointments, school needs, and domestic‑violence related reasons — plus privacy protections and rehired‑employee accrual continuity.
Employers and taxpayers will likely face higher costs — from expanded paid‑time pay rates, increased payroll and benefits costs, administrative compliance, and potential damages and litigation — which may be most acute for small businesses and public employers.
The law creates substantial administrative and compliance complexity — overlapping statutory, contractual, local and federal rules; multiple agencies issuing regulations; recordkeeping and certification requirements — increasing HR burden and costs, especially for multi‑state and small employers.
Uneven protections will persist or be prolonged: workers without stronger contracts or in jurisdictions with weak or no local paid‑leave laws receive only the federal minimum, and existing collective bargaining agreements can delay or postpone application of the Act for up to 18 months.
Based on analysis of 13 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a federal paid sick leave floor: at least 1 hour earned per 30 worked (default cap 56 hours/year), with job protections, enforcement, reporting, and outreach.
Requires most employers to provide paid sick leave that employees begin earning at hire (1 hour earned per 30 hours worked) and generally allows use after 60 days, with a default annual cap of 56 hours unless the employer sets a higher cap. It protects leave for the employee’s own illness, medical care, caring for family or other covered persons, and absences related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and prohibits employer interference, discrimination, or retaliation. Sets rulemaking and implementation schedules for federal employer categories, requires employer posting and notice, creates enforcement tools including a Department of Labor complaint process and a private right of action, tasks BLS and GAO with data and evaluation duties, and authorizes a public awareness campaign. The law preserves existing collective bargaining agreements and state or local laws that provide greater leave or protections.