Efforts to pass mandatory paid sick leave legislation deliver mixed results

Mandatory paid sick leave requirements are a hot topic in the United States as of late, with San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Seattle all adopting the policies.

The legislation requires companies to provide paid sick leave for workers who accrue sick days based on their employee attendance. Beginning next year, Seattle companies that employ five to 49 workers must provide at least five days of sick leave per year, with one hour of sick leave accrued for every 40 hours of work, according to the Seattle Times. For businesses with between 50 and 249 employees, the minimum number of paid sick days rises to seven. Those with 250 or more workers will be required to provide at least nine days at an accrual rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked.

A similar provision was put on hold in Milwaukee amid controversy over the wording of the measure.

Meanwhile, nearly two thirds of voters in Denver, Colorado, recently vetoed a proposal to give every city employee one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, according to the Denver Top News Examiner.