Oregon 2016 Sick Time Required for All Employers

New Sick Time Law takes effect January 1, 2016, for businesses in Oregon. Posting and notice required.

Beginning January 1, 2016, all employers with more than 10 employees in Oregon (or six in Portland) must provide up to 40 hours of paid leave per year. Employers with fewer than 10 employees (or five or fewer workers in Portland) must provide 40 hours of unpaid protected sick time.

An employer must allow the employee to use sick time if the employee has accrued sick time available. However, whenever possible, the employee should provide the employer notice of the anticipated duration of the time off.

Oregon Sick Time Accrual

Oregon workers begin accruing sick time after their ninetieth day of employment at a rate of one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked (or 1-⅓ hours for every 40 hours worked). Employees may carry over up to 40 hours of unused sick time from one year to the next; however, employers may adopt policies that limit employees to accruing no more than 80 hours of sick time or using no more than 40 hours of sick time in a year.

An employer does not have to pay out for accrued but unused sick time for workers who separate from employment.

Oregon Sick Time Law Posting and Notice Requirements

Employers must provide:

• Written notification at least quarterly to each employee of the amount of accrued and unused sick time available for use by the employee.
• Written notice of the requirements of the 2015 Act to each employee.
• All notices in the language the employer typically uses to communicate with the employee.