The Difference Between State and City Sick Leave Rules in Austin, Texas

Do you live in Austin, Texas and are wondering what the difference is between state and city sick leave rules? We've got you covered. In February of last year, Austin became the first city in Texas to pass an ordinance requiring companies to provide paid sick leave to their employees. This ordinance requires employers to provide one hour of paid time off for every 30 hours worked, up to 64 hours or eight days a year. But how does this compare to other cities in Texas and the rest of the country?The Center for Public Policy Priorities estimates that 40 percent of Texas workers do not have access to paid sick leave.

This means that employers based outside of Austin will need to grant sick leave to those employees if they move. The law also requires that accumulated sick leave be transferred to other locations if the employee changes their place of work or position. The future of San Antonio's law is likely to depend on the results of Austin's court decision on sick leave. If the courts permanently suspend the new ordinance, San Antonio's sick leave law could also be subject to appeal. Twenty-two states have passed laws like the one proposed here in Texas, laws that prohibit local governments from enforcing their own sick leave mandates. If employers anticipate sick leave at the beginning of the year, they don't have to accumulate unused sick leave every year.

This means that employers based outside of Austin will need to grant sick leave to those employees. For example, if you are based in Dallas, where there is currently no paid sick leave law, but you usually work in Austin or San Antonio, where they are trying to pass these ordinances, you must comply with those municipal ordinances, even if you are based in Dallas. The new law requires Texas employers to record time spent with exempt employees for the purpose of accumulating sick leave. Because employers have to pay 1 hour of sick leave for every hour worked, they actually pay more than the minimum wage to employees. In conclusion, there is a clear distinction between state and city regulations regarding sick leave in Austin, Texas. The city ordinance requires employers to provide one hour of paid time off for every 30 hours worked, up to 64 hours or eight days a year.

The future of San Antonio's law is likely to depend on the results of Austin's court decision on sick leave. Employers based outside of Austin will need to grant sick leave to those employees if they move and must comply with municipal ordinances even if they are based elsewhere.