City of Pittsburgh – Paid Sick Days Act

The City of Pittsburgh recently announced that an ordinance initially authorized in 2015 will take effect on March 15.  The Paid Sick Days Act, codified in the Pittsburgh City Code as Chapter 626, was enacted to enhance public health by ensuring that eligible employees across the city are able to earn paid sick time.  It applies to those employees who work at least 35 hours within the geographic boundaries of the city of Pittsburgh in a calendar year.

The city recently revised a set of Guidelines for Administering the Paid Sick Days Act that address, but are not limited to, the following items:

• The accrual start date (March 15, 2020);
• Accrual rates for employers both with more than 15 employees and those with less than 15 employees;
• Determining the number of employees;
• Accrual caps;
• Carryover of sick time;
• Employers located outside the city boundary that have employees working within the boundary;
• Administration, including complaints filed with the Mayor’s Office of Equity (MOE); and
• Other requirements.

The guidelines are intended to help interpret the ordinance and to clarify how the MOE will administer and enforce the rules.  They also note that the MOE may also seek guidance from the Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) regarding questions involving disease prevention and control, and, where applicable, request that the ACHD issue regulations as may be required for application or enforcement of the rules.

If you are unfamiliar with this new ordinance, you should address these rules with employment counsel as soon as possible.