Preparing Pittsburgh Employers for Changes to the Paid Sick Days Act

Details
On June 10, the Pittsburgh City Council unanimously approved a measure that increases the number of hours of paid sick leave employers must provide to employees and accelerates the rate at which paid sick days are accrued.

Increase in Mandatory Paid Sick Leave Goes into Effect January 1, 2026
Under the city’s current Paid Sick Days Act, which went into effect in March 2020, employers operating within the geographic boundaries of the City of Pittsburgh with 15+ employees must give employees at least 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. Employers with fewer than 15 employees must provide 24 hours of paid sick leave per year.

The new measure will go into effect on January 1, 2026, and increases the number of hours of paid sick leave employers must provide. Employers with 15+ workers will soon be required to provide employees with 72 hours of paid sick leave and employers with fewer than 15 employees will be required to provide 48 hours of paid sick leave.

Additionally, the amendment will allow city employees to accrue paid sick time at a faster rate. Starting January 1, 2026, employees of employers operating within the city limits, regardless of their size, shall accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

Implications and Recommendations
The Pittsburgh City Council specifically delayed the implementation of the new measure to January 1, 2026, to allow local businesses to prepare for the change. While the City of Pittsburgh is just starting to enjoy its summer, the end of the year will be here before we know it, and employers should start now to ensure compliance with the amendment.

Pittsburgh-area employers should take early steps to familiarize themselves with the changes and begin making the necessary adjustments to their policies. It is important to remember that the Paid Sick Days Act and recent amendments apply to employers operating within the geographic boundaries of the City of Pittsburgh as well as to employers that may not be physically present in the city but have employees who perform work within its geographic boundaries for at least 35 hours in a calendar year. Employers violating the Paid Sick Days Act may face civil penalties, fines, and actions to force the repayment of an employee’s lost wages.

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC’s Labor & Employment attorneys are here to answer your questions and help you navigate the shifting legal landscape concerning Pittsburgh’s Paid Sick Days Act. Please contact the author of this alert if you need advice on employment law matters.