The sick leave bill, A-5060/S-3440, was signed into law on July 3, 2023. The law expands the allowable use of sick days for public school staff.
Under the prior law, statutory sick days were limited to use for your own illness, injury, or disability. Sick days can still be used for those purposes, but now can also be used for:
- To recover from, or for the diagnoses or treatment of a health condition (mental or physical) or for preventative medical care;
- To care for a family member who is sick, injured, needs diagnosis, treatment, or care of a condition (mental or physical) or needs preventative medical care;
- To care for yourself or a family member who needs assistance due to being a victim of domestic or sexual violence, such as needing medical attention, services, counseling, to relocate, or for legal services or proceedings;
- For bereavement of a family member (up to seven (7) days);
- To attend a child’s school-related conference, meeting, function or other event at the request of a school staff member or a meeting related to the child’s health condition or disability; and
- If a child’s school or daycare is closed by the order of a public official, or due to a state of emergency or public health emergency.
Family members are defined broadly, to include children, grandchildren, siblings, spouses, domestic partners, civil union partners, parents, grandparents, and those close relations that are the equivalent of a family relationship (blood relation not necessary).
Children, as defined by this law, include biological, adopted, or foster children, stepchildren, legal wards, or the child of a domestic partner or civil union partner.
This law does not reduce, diminish, or adversely affect any collectively bargained rights.