Littler Lightbulb: Paid Leave Policies & Practices

With the number, type, and scope of paid leave laws constantly expanding, employers may struggle to adapt successfully and quickly to the changing legal landscape. As members of Littler's Paid Sick & Safe Time Subgroup, employers often ask for our bright ideas.

• Paid Leave Is Changing: For years, paid leave was a discretionary benefit. Later, kin care laws required that, if an employer provided benefits, employees could use paid leave for specific purposes or family members. Eventually, paid sick leave laws obligated employers to provide paid leave for covered absences (an expanding list). More states are adopting paid family or medical leave wage replacement benefit programs. And the newest trend, as recently seen in Nevada and Maine, is mandatory paid leave that employees can use for any purpose.