In an exciting and much needed step for workers in the city of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh City Council voted unanimously and the Mayor of Pittsburgh signed into law an expansion on the city’s current paid sick leave law. A Better Balance helped to draft and defend the original paid sick time law when it first passed a decade ago, and we also had the opportunity to provide both oral and written testimony in support of the new expansion.
Starting January 1, 2026, workers in Pittsburgh will be able to earn their paid sick time at a faster rate, making it more likely that they will have a baseline amount of paid sick leave available when they or their loved ones need medical care. Under the expansion, workers will accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, instead of 35 hours. By making this change, Pittsburgh joins 15 states, and 11 localities across the country with this paid sick time accrual rate.
This bill will also increase the amount of paid sick time that a worker can earn per year (also as of January 1, 2026). Workers employed in a business with fewer than 15 employees will soon be able to accrue and have access to a maximum of 48 hours of paid sick leave per year—rather than the mere three days provided under the current law. For workers employed at a business with 15 or more employees, this bill will ensure they can accrue and have access to a maximum of 72 hours of paid sick leave per year. The availability of more paid sick time under Pittsburgh’s law will make preventative care more accessible, reduce the spread of illness, and allow workers to have sufficient time to care for sick loved ones.
Research clearly shows that paid sick time benefits workers’ health and economic wellbeing, businesses’ bottom lines, and public health. Allowing workers to earn additional time off work so they can recover from sickness or care for a sick family member without having to worry about taking a pay cut will make Pittsburgh a healthier city overall, and protect the economic security of countless families.
We applaud the Pittsburgh City Council for expanding this critical right and congratulate our partners at 32BJ SEIU on this hard-won victory.
