Sick Leave Definition

Term Definition
Sick leave refers to time-off offered by an organization to employees for medical reasons. For more information on sick leave, please consult the Dept. of Labor (DOL) website.

Extended Definition
Sick leave is paid or unpaid absence from work, usually for personal medical reasons. Leave taken to take care of a family member for adoption-related work or bereavement is also considered as sick leave. Currently, no federal legislation makes paid sick leave compulsory; however, employers covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are required to offer employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid medical leave. States and local governments are creating their own sick leave laws. Many are requiring mandatory pay for employees.

Related Article:
Paid Sick Leave Laws by State
What is California’s Sick Leave Law?