Paid Sick Time: FAQ

What is the Michigan paid sick time law?

In November 2018, the Michigan legislature passed the Paid Medical Leave Act. This law took effect on March 29, 2019. This law gives eligible workers up to 40 hours of paid sick time per year. While not all employees are eligible for the Paid Medical Leave Act, any Michigan business with 50 or more employees is required to establish a paid sick time policy and the full 40 hours must be compensated.

What is earned paid sick time?

Earned paid sick time refers to time off from work provided by employers to eligible employees that can be used to recover from illness, seek out medical care, care for ill family members, to look after children if the child’s school closes, or if the employee has to go to the child’s school or place of care as a result of illness, or to address needs resulting from domestic or sexual violence.

How much paid sick time can I earn?

Up to 40 hours per year. Under Michigan law, eligible employees earn 1 hour of paid sick time for every 35 hours worked.

Does my paid sick time roll over to the next year?

Maybe. Unused sick time can carry over, but employers are NOT required to give their employees more than 40 hours in a single year. Check with your employer to find out what their rules are. Some employers require new employees to work 90 days before using their time.

Am I eligible for paid sick time?

Full-time, part-time, and temporary employees are eligible for paid sick leave if the company has 50+ employees.


Who isn’t covered for paid sick time?

  • Government employees 

  • Non-Michigan residents 

  • Certain workers in a genuine executive, administrative, or professional capacity (refer to the Fair Labor Standards Act)

  • Employees in the private sector covered by a collective bargaining agreement 

  • Workers employed by an employer 25 weeks or fewer in a year 

  • Workers who worked on average less than 25 hours per week during the previous year

What if I have kids?

If you are an eligible employee, you can use your paid sick time if you have to care for a child whose school or care provider has been closed due to public health reasons.


What about the rest of my family?

You are permitted to use your paid sick time to care for your kids, spouse, parent, parents-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, or siblings.


Why is earned paid sick time important for women?

Statistically, women are more likely to have caregiving responsibilities outside of their paid employment. Without paid sick days, women are often forced to forego in order to meet their families’ health care needs. Earned paid sick time helps to alleviate this burden on women and promote gender equality.


Why is earned paid sick time so important?

In addition to the role of paid sick time in reducing gender disparities, many people in the service industry are not eligible for any paid sick days (i.e. restaurant workers, hotel staff, etc). Workers in child care centers and nursing homes are also typically denied earned paid sick time. Earned paid sick time helps to protect the economic security of families and also public health.


What is the difference between “earned paid sick time,” “paid sick time,” and “paid sick leave?”

They all mean the same thing! All of these terms refer to the sick leave that employees accrue based on how many hours they have worked.


How much paid sick time can I receive under COVID-19?

If you are taking leave because you tested positive for COVID-19 or have a fever, atypical cough, or atypical shortness of breath you should stay home until 3 days have passed since you are symptom-free and 7 days have passed since your symptoms first appeared or since you were swabbed for your positive COVID-19 test. The right to leave for these purposes no longer applies when a worker who shows symptoms receives a negative COVID-19 test. 

If you are taking leave because you have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or who has a fever, atypical cough, or atypical shortness of breath, you should stay home until either 14 days have passed since your last close contact with the sick or symptomatic person or the symptomatic person receives a negative COVID-19 test.

Under the COVID-19 Executive Order: except as described below, if you are taking leave because you have COVID-19 or have one of the symptoms described above—or have had close contact with someone who has COVID-19 or the symptoms described above—you are covered even if you work for an employer with fewer than 50 employees; unlike Michigan’s permanent paid sick time law, the Executive Order covers employers regardless of business size, unless you are a federal employee.