Arizona is one of the states that mandates paid sick leave for nearly every employee in the state. Under the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act (Proposition 206, in effect since July 1, 2017), almost all Arizona employees earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. The annual cap depends on employer size: if your employer has 15 or more employees, you can earn and use up to 40 hours of paid sick time per year; if your employer has fewer than 15 employees, the cap is 24 hours per year. This is a statewide legal right, not a company perk - and there is no federal law that guarantees it.
Arizona's specific rule on earned paid sick time
The accrual rate is fixed by statute: paid sick time accrues at a minimum of one hour for every 30 hours worked. There is no waiting period for accrual - you begin earning sick time on your first day of employment, or on the law's effective date, whichever is later. Employers may, however, require new employees to wait until their 90th calendar day of employment before they use accrued sick time.
Exempt (salaried) employees are assumed to work 40 hours per week for accrual purposes unless their normal workweek is shorter, in which case sick time accrues based on that shorter schedule. Part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers are covered too - the law reaches virtually all private-sector workers in Arizona.
Carryover and the annual caps
Unused paid sick time generally carries over to the following year. However, an employer is not required to let you use more than the annual cap (24 or 40 hours) in a single year, and is not required to let you accrue more than that cap. As an alternative to carryover, an employer may pay out unused sick time at the end of the year and then front-load (provide up front) the full annual amount - 24 or 40 hours - at the start of the new year.
Who is covered and who is not
The law covers employees of essentially all private employers in Arizona regardless of size - even an employer with a single employee must provide accrual (at the 24-hour cap tier). Coverage is broad, but there are limited exclusions, including certain individuals employed by a parent, sibling, child, or spouse, and some workers covered by specific federal arrangements. State and federal government workers are generally not covered by this Arizona statute, though they may have separate sick-leave benefits.
What you can use paid sick time for
Arizona's law allows you to use earned paid sick time for a wide set of reasons, including:
Your own mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, including diagnosis, care, treatment, or preventive care.
Care for a family member with an illness, injury, or condition, or to attend their medical appointments. "Family member" is defined broadly and includes children, parents, spouses or registered domestic partners, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings.
Absences related to domestic violence, sexual violence, abuse, or stalking affecting you or a family member - including time to seek medical care, counseling, legal help, or relocation.
Closure of your workplace, or of your child's school or place of care, by order of a public official due to a public health emergency.
For absences of three or more consecutive workdays, an employer may require reasonable documentation that the sick time was used for a covered purpose, but cannot require you to disclose details of the underlying health condition or the violence at issue.
How this compares to federal law
There is no federal law requiring private employers to provide paid sick leave. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets a minimum wage (the federal floor is still $7.25 per hour) and overtime rules, but says nothing about paid sick days. The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for serious health conditions and certain family events - but that leave is unpaid, and FMLA only applies to employers with 50 or more employees and to workers who meet tenure and hours thresholds. Arizona's paid sick time fills part of that gap by giving paid, immediately accruing time to nearly everyone.
The two can work together: a day off for a covered illness might count as both Arizona paid sick time and FMLA leave at the same time. Arizona paid sick time provides the pay; FMLA provides the longer job protection for qualifying serious conditions.
How paid sick time interacts with PTO
An employer that already offers a paid time off (PTO) or combined leave policy does not have to provide additional sick time, as long as the existing policy gives you at least the same amount of paid leave, accruing at the same or a faster rate, that you can use for the same purposes and under the same conditions as the law requires. In other words, a generous PTO bank can satisfy the requirement - but only if it meets every minimum the statute sets, including the covered reasons and anti-retaliation protections.
Local ordinances
Arizona's paid sick time requirement is set at the state level and applies uniformly statewide, so there is no patchwork of city-by-city sick-leave mandates the way some other states have. (Some Arizona cities, such as Flagstaff and Tucson, have set their own higher local minimum wage rates, which is a separate issue from sick leave.) For wages, note that Arizona's statewide minimum wage is adjusted each year for inflation; as of 2026 it is higher than the federal $7.25 floor, but you should confirm the current figure with the Industrial Commission of Arizona before relying on a specific number.
How to enforce your rights
Arizona's paid sick time law is enforced by the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA), specifically its Labor Department. Key protections include:
Anti-retaliation: Employers cannot fire, discipline, demote, cut hours, or otherwise retaliate against you for requesting or using paid sick time, or for filing a complaint. The law presumes retaliation if adverse action occurs within 90 days of protected activity.
Notice on pay stubs: Employers must show your available sick time and the amount used on your regular paycheck or an attached statement.
Recordkeeping: Employers must keep payroll and sick-time records, and failure to do so creates a presumption in the employee's favor.
If your employer denies earned sick time or retaliates against you, you can file a complaint with the Industrial Commission of Arizona's Labor Department. Remedies can include payment of withheld sick time, reinstatement, and civil penalties against the employer.
Where to verify
Always confirm current rules and figures with the official source: the Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA), Labor Department, which publishes the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act rules, FAQs, and complaint forms. The governing statute is found in Arizona Revised Statutes Title 23, Chapter 2, Article 8.1. Because wage figures and some thresholds are adjusted over time, verify the latest numbers directly with the ICA rather than relying on older summaries.
Official Arizona Sources
This page is based on Arizona employment law. Rules and figures change — verify the current details directly with the official Arizona sources below. This is general legal information, not legal advice.
Federal law and local ordinances may also apply. Federal laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act set a national floor, and your city or county may add protections (such as a higher local minimum wage or paid sick leave). Check both alongside Arizona state law.
Frequently asked questions
How much paid sick time can I earn in Arizona?
You earn at least one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. If your employer has 15 or more employees, you can earn and use up to 40 hours per year. If your employer has fewer than 15 employees, the cap is 24 hours per year.
Does every Arizona employer have to provide paid sick leave?
Yes. The Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act covers nearly all private employers in Arizona regardless of size - even a business with a single employee must provide accrual, though smaller employers fall under the lower 24-hour annual cap.
Can I use Arizona sick time to care for a family member?
Yes. You can use earned paid sick time for a family member's illness, injury, condition, or medical appointments. Arizona defines family member broadly, including children, parents, spouses or domestic partners, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings.
Does my PTO policy count as paid sick leave in Arizona?
It can. An employer's existing PTO policy satisfies the law only if it provides at least as much leave, accruing at least as fast, usable for the same reasons and under the same conditions, including the anti-retaliation protections that the statute requires.
Who enforces paid sick leave in Arizona?
The Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA), through its Labor Department, enforces the paid sick time law. You can file a complaint there if your employer denies earned sick time or retaliates against you for using it.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most current law or the law in your jurisdiction. Laws vary by state and change over time. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
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