A sick leave violation is the wrongful refusal to provide earned sick time to employees. Since August 11, 2015, businesses in Philadelphia have been required to notify their employees that they are entitled to sick time, to keep records of sick time, and to provide either paid or unpaid sick time.

Examples of violations of the sick leave law include:

• Failure to notify employees of their right to this benefit.
• Failure to record employee earned and used sick time for two years.
• Failure to provide earned sick time.
• Wrongfully requesting an employee to find coverage in order to use sick time.
• Retaliation against an employee for exercising their rights under this law.

Employers can contact the Office of Worker Protections at (215) 686-0802 to request a template for keeping records of sick time and other resources.

COVID-19 related paid sick leave

During the COVID-19 pandemic, you can use your paid sick leave for COVID-19 related business closures, childcare closures, and quarantine.

Separately, the City’s paid sick leave law was amended with additional protections. Starting September 9, 2020, health care employers are required to provide certain health care employees and pool employees with paid sick leave when they miss work and test positive for COVID-19.  This includes hospitals, nursing homes, and home health providers. Starting September 17, 2020 through December 31, 2020, employers with 500 or more employees are required to provide public health emergency paid sick leave for certain reasons connected to COVID-19. Employees not covered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (PDF) may be eligible for up to 112 hours of public health emergency paid sick leave under certain circumstances. Find the complaint form and other resources here.