Nebraska's New Sick Leave Law Explained

On June 4, 2025, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed LB415, which amends the Nebraska Healthy Workplaces and Families Act ("HWFA"). Initially passed via ballot initiative in November 2024, the HWFA mandates paid sick leave for most employers and employees in the state—40 hours per year for employers with between 11 and 19 employees, and 56 hours per year for employers with 20 or more employees.

LB415 was an effort by the Nebraska Unicameral to provide some clarity to certain portions of the HWFA, though many issues relating to enforcement and compliance are still uncertain. Some of the key changes to the HWFA are outlined below.

Changes to the Scope of Coverage: As originally written, the HWFA excluded individuals who work in Nebraska for fewer than 80 hours in a calendar year, as well as employees who are subject to the federal Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. As amended, the law will also exclude individual owner-operators, independent contractors,