Alaska Paid Sick Leave Law
✓ Verified against official sources · September 1, 2026 Alaska Stat. § 23.10.700 et seq. (Ballot Measure 1, 2024)
The short answer: Alaska's voter-enacted sick leave law (effective July 1, 2025) requires accrual of one hour per 30 hours worked — up to 40 hours a year at employers with fewer than 15 employees and 56 hours at 15 or more, with mandatory carryover.
Accrual rate
1 hour per 30 hours worked
Annual amount
40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+)
Employers covered
All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line
Penalty for non-compliance: Enforced by Alaska's Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Wage and Hour Administration, under the Ballot Measure 1 provisions of AS 23.10.
Alaska's paid sick leave requirement arrived by ballot: Ballot Measure 1 (2024) took effect July 1, 2025. Per the Department of Labor's official FAQ, all covered employees accrue at one hour per 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 employees must allow accrual and use of up to 40 hours per year; employers with 15 or more, up to 56 hours.
Unused leave carries over into the next year — so an employee's balance can exceed the annual figure even though yearly accrual and use stay capped — unless the employer front-loads the full annual amount, in which case carryover isn't required. The Wage and Hour Administration enforces the law.
For employersThe law is new — effective July 1, 2025 — and carryover is mandatory unless you front-load the full annual amount; balances can exceed the annual cap through rollover even though yearly use stays capped.
For employeesSince July 2025 you accrue one hour of paid sick leave per 30 worked — up to 40 or 56 hours a year depending on your employer's size — and unused time rolls into the next year.
The full playbook, start to finish
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Alaska FAQ
When did Alaska's paid sick leave law take effect?
July 1, 2025 — enacted by voters as Ballot Measure 1 in the 2024 general election, per the Alaska DOL.
How much sick leave do Alaska employees get?
Accrual of one hour per 30 hours worked — usable up to 40 hours a year at employers with fewer than 15 employees, or 56 hours at 15 or more, with carryover of unused time.
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Official sources
Educational content, not legal advice. Rules change — every fact above was checked against the linked official sources on the date shown.
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How other states compare
| State | Accrual rate | Annual amount | Employers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+) | All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line |
| Arizona | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hours (15+ employees) / 24 hours (under 15) | All employers — the cap varies by size |
| California | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed) | Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days | Nearly all employers, regardless of size |
| Colorado | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year (+80-hour PHE supplement when declared) | All employers — full-time, part-time and temporary employees |
| Connecticut | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year; 40 hours carryover | 11+ employees now; every employer from Jan 1, 2027 |
| District of Columbia | 1 hour per 37 / 43 / 87 hours worked, by employer size | 7 days (100+) / 5 days (25–99) / 3 days (≤24) | All D.C. employers — tiered by headcount |
| Illinois | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose | Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded) |
| Maine | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year — usable for any reason | More than 10 employees in Maine for 120+ days a year (non-seasonal) |
| Maryland | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs | All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer |
| Massachusetts | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per calendar year | All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below |
| Michigan | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (frontloading allowed) | Use up to 72 hrs/yr — 40 hrs at small businesses (≤10 workers) | All employers with one or more employees |
| Minnesota | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover | All employers with one or more employees |
| Missouri | None — the mandate was repealed effective Aug 28, 2025 | No state requirement — employer policy controls | No Missouri employer is required to provide sick leave |
| Nebraska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked, after 80 hours of employment | 40 hrs (11–19 employees) / 56 hrs (20+) | 11+ employees — employers with 10 or fewer are exempt |
| Nevada | 0.01923 hours per hour worked (≈1 per 52; frontloading allowed) | ≈40 hours per benefit year for full-time work — any purpose | Private employers — under-50-employee hardship and other carve-outs |
| New Jersey | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 40 hours advanced up front) | Up to 40 hours per benefit year; 40 hours carryover | All New Jersey employers, regardless of size |
| New Mexico | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 64 hours frontloaded Jan 1) | Use up to 64 hours per year; 64-hour carryover | All private employers, regardless of size |
| New York | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 56 hrs paid (100+) / 40 paid (5–99) / 40 unpaid (0–4, ≤$1M income) | Every NY employer — the tier sets paid vs. unpaid and the cap |
| Oregon | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 1-1/3 per 40) | Up to 40 hours per year | All — paid at 10+ employees, unpaid under 10 |
| Rhode Island | 1 hour per 35 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year | Paid at 18+ employees; smaller employers provide unpaid leave |
| Vermont | 1 hour per 52 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period | All Vermont employers |
| Washington | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | No annual cap — leave is usable as accrued; 40-hour carryover | All employers covered by the Minimum Wage Act |
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