Rhode Island Paid Sick Leave (PSL)

Employers with 18 or more employees are required to offer paid sick and safe leave. Employers with fewer than 18 employees must provide sick and safe leave time, although it does not need to be paid. Covered employees may take up to 40 hours of leave. Employees earn 1 hour of sick time for every 35 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. If your workplace has 18 or more workers, that time must be paid. If your workplace has fewer than 18 workers, your sick time may be unpaid—but you can't be fired or punished for taking it. Employees can carry over up to 40 hours year to year.

Employers may mandate a 90-day waiting period for newly hired workers, during which they may not use accrued sick and safe leave. Businesses can extend this waiting period to 150 days for seasonal employees and 180 days for temporary employees. Employees in Rhode Island may use this sick and safe leave under a variety of circumstances. These include:

• The worker's physical or mental health needs, need for diagnosis (preventive) care or treatment;
• A family member's mental or physical illness, or care for a family member who needs diagnosis (preventive) care or treatment;
• The closure of the employee's place of business or her/his child's school due to a public health emergency; or
• Time off when the employee or a family member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.