Portland’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance Passes!
Our Portland, Oregon partner, Joy Ellis, updates us on the very latest news about Portland’s Earned Sick Leave Policy. Thank you Joy.
The ordinance will take effect January 1, 2014, as follows:
Portland’s City Council voted in a unanimous decision Wednesday to pass an Earned Sick Leave Policy, and in doing so became the fourth city in the nation to mandate private employers offer sick leave. Portland’s new policy will allow employees to earn one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours of sick leave per year. Workers need to work at least 240 hours per year to qualify. The law requiring paid sick leave applies to businesses that employ at least six workers, while smaller employers must provide unpaid time off. Seattle, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., all have sick leave measures, and a similar measure is set to go before City Council members in Philadelphia today. New York City will hold a hearing on paid sick leave on March 22. So far, Connecticut is the only state to pass a similar law, but sick leave bills have been introduced in a handful of states, including Washington and Oregon.
If you have questions about the new paid sick leave ordinance, or any Oregon employment law issue, please contact me.
