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Rhode Island Implements Paid Sick Leave


Late last month, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo signed a bill into law that will require employers in the state to offer their employees up to three days of paid sick leave per year, beginning next year.  The bill, the Healthy and Safe Families and Workplaces Act, will further require employers to increase the number of paid sick leave days to four in 2019 and five days in 2020.

For those unfamiliar with the paid sick leave fight in Rhode Island, an original proposal called for employers to provide up to seven days of paid sick leave.  Critics of that proposal wanted it scaled back as well as a protection for small business owners.  As noted, this law will eventually require five days of paid sick leave as well as a "small business carve out" for employers with less than 18 employees.

Regardless of the concessions made to get this bill across the finish line, this is quite an achievement for the state and paid sick leave proponents.


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