Can an employer deny sick time?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

No, an employer cannot deny sick time. If you are seriously ill and have not used up your unpaid sick days, your employer can not deny you sick leave. However, no United States laws or regulations exist concerning paid sick leave for employees.

The United States federal government requires unpaid sick leave for those experiencing serious illness or other severe health conditions, but it does not require that employees get access to paid sick leave for a short-term illness or the short-term illness of an employee's family member.

In the United States, the average amount of unpaid sick days given to employees by employers is eight days. This is just the average number of sick days given by employers in the United States and can vary depending on your specific company's policy.

Many companies also give paid sick leave to employees, though they are not required to by law.