Mapped: Paid Sick Leave Access by U.S. Region

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Paid Sick Leave Access by U.S. Region in 2024

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Access to paid time off in the U.S. isn’t just tied to company policy, as factors like income, job role, and industry all affect access to sick leave and forms of personal time off.

A recent data release of workers with paid sick leave access by U.S. region reveals significant worker benefits disparities across the country.

This map of U.S. regions shows what percentage of workers have access to paid sick leave in 2024, using data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Pacific States Have the Most Paid Sick Leave

The Pacific region of the United States of America has the highest share of workers in the country with access to paid sick leave, with 95% of workers in the region having access to paid sick days. This region includes Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, and California, where progressive labor laws have contributed to these high levels of coverage.

California was one of the first states to implement a comprehensive paid sick leave law, with the Healthy Workplaces Healthy Families Act of 2014 (which requires employers provide paid sick leave to employees who work in California for 30 or more days within a year) being expanded further at the start of 2024.

The runner-up for the highest access to paid sick leave is the U.S. region of New England. This region includes Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, where on average 89% of workers have access to paid sick days.

In contrast, the East South Central region, comprising Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, comes in last, with 68% of workers having access.

The West South Central region, which comprises Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, has the second lowest coverage, with 70% access.

A National Perspective on Paid Sick Leave

Nationally, 81% of workers across the U.S. have access to paid sick leave.

The U.S. is the only OECD nation along with South Korea that doesn’t have a national policy to guarantee paid leave for personal illness, meaning that it’s currently up to state governments to legislate on the issue.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about paid leave access, check out this graphic comparing access to different kinds of paid leave across income levels in the United States.