Sick Leave Pay

Sick leave pay is compensation an employer provides to employees who are unable to work because of illness or injury, so they do not lose income while they are out. It is a form of paid time off specifically meant for health-related absences, whether that is recovering from an illness, attending a medical appointment, or managing a chronic condition.

Unlike general PTO, sick leave is tied specifically to health reasons and is often accrued separately, commonly building up at a fixed rate per pay period or granted as a lump sum at the start of the year. How much sick leave an employee gets, whether it carries over, and whether it is even mandatory in the first place varies a lot depending on the employer’s policy and the labor laws of the country or state they operate in.