Pittsburgh Expands Paid Sick Leave Requirements

The city of Pittsburgh has enacted legislation (Ordinance 11), which expands its paid sick leave law requirements. The Ordinance is effective Jan. 1, 2026.

The details

Background

The City of Pittsburgh requires employers to provide paid sick leave under the Paid Sick Days Act.

The Ordinance

Under the Ordinance, an employer must provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked (previously every 35 hours) in a calendar year.

Accrual & Use

Employees must be able to accrue and use the following amounts of paid sick leave in a calendar year:

·      15 or More Employees: 72 hours of paid sick leave (previously 40)

·      Less than 15 Employees: 48 hours of paid sick leave (previously 24)

Carryover

The Ordinance also clarifies that employers are not required to carry overpaid sick leave if they provide (e.g. frontload) the required amount of paid sick leave (72 or 48 hours) per calendar year at the beginning of each calendar year.

Next steps

Review and update pay and sick leave policies and procedures by Jan. 1, 2026.