Allegheny County adopted a Paid Sick Days Ordinance (PSDO) on September 15, 2021, for county employers. Unlike the Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act, which applies to city employers of all sizes, this new PSDO pertains to only those county employers with 26 or more employees.
The legislation includes an employer notice requirement that applies immediately once the Allegheny County Health Department posts the notice. The effective date for the accrual, use and other requirements, however, doesn’t take effect until 90 calendar days after the official notice is released. Henderson Brothers will continue to provide information regarding this new requirement including expected FAQ guidance.
Quick Implementation
The ordinance doesn’t give businesses much time to react – it includes an employer notice requirement that applies immediately and the effective date for the accrual, use and other requirements takes effect 90 calendar days after the official notice is released.
The good news: The county is requiring much needed paid time off to employees that have no company paid sick days. The PSDO is not unique either – it is designed very similarly to other ordinances, providing one hour of paid sick time for every 35 hours worked within Allegheny County, up to 40 hours of sick time in a calendar year.
Interaction With Other Laws and Policies
The PSDO is not intended to preempt, limit, or otherwise affect the applicability of any other law, ordinance, regulation, requirement, policy, or standard that provides greater paid sick time accrual or use, or that extends other protections to employees.
It’s also important to note that this new paid sick leave requirement does not apply to any municipality within Allegheny County that has enacted a paid sick leave ordinance (e.g. Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act), as long as the ordinance is not less stringent than the PSDO’s requirements. However, the PSDO may be enforced in a municipality within Allegheny County that has enacted a paid sick leave ordinance if the municipality is unwilling or unable to enforce its ordinance.
Timeline
Effective now: Notice Requirement
(Employers must post immediately once released by the Allegheny County Health Department)
The accrual, use and other requirements take effect 90 calendar days after the Allegheny County Health Department posts the employer notice information.
Need Help with Leave Management?
Allow our Henderson Brothers’ experts to provide your team with essential guidance on how to navigate the newly passed Allegheny County Paid Sick Days Ordinance (PSDO), along with any other leave management needs that your organization is currently facing. With the continued evolution of state and local leaves, our team understands the additional burden that is being placed on HR teams. We have solutions to provide employer groups with vendor partner services to not only remove the existing burden, but also the increased risk associated with managing these complicated leave services.
Please contact our Henderson Brothers team to begin discussing your options now.
Please note that the information contained in this posting is designed to provide general awareness in regard to the subject matter covered. It is not provided as legal, medical, or tax advice, nor is it intended to address all concerns in your workplace or for public health. No representation is made as to the sufficiency for your specific company’s needs. This post should be reviewed by your legal counsel or tax consultant before use.</p
