Short answer. At least 1 hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Overtime-exempt employees are assumed to work 40 hours a week unless their normal week is shorter. Employers with 15 or more employees may cap accrual at 40 hours a year; employers with fewer than 15, at 24 hours a year, unless the employer chooses a higher limit. Use may begin: time may be used as it accrues, but an employer may require a 90-day wait for employees hired after July 1, 2017.
At a glance
- Law
- Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act (A.R.S. 23-371 to 23-381)
- In effect
- Accrual began July 1, 2017, or at the start of employment if later.
- Accrual
- At least 1 hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Overtime-exempt employees are assumed to work 40 hours a week unless their normal week is shorter.
- Yearly limit
- Employers with 15 or more employees may cap accrual at 40 hours a year; employers with fewer than 15, at 24 hours a year, unless the employer chooses a higher limit.
- Use may begin
- Time may be used as it accrues, but an employer may require a 90-day wait for employees hired after July 1, 2017.
- Agency
- Industrial Commission of Arizona
Rules by employer size
| Employer size | Rate | Yearly limit | Paid? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 or more employees | 1 hr per 30 | 40 hrs | Yes |
| Fewer than 15 employees | 1 hr per 30 | 24 hrs | Yes |
Example with dates
Suppose someone at an employer in the "fewer than 15 employees" group starts on Monday, January 4, 2027 and works 20 hours every week. At 1 hour per 30 hours worked, that's 0.66 hours a week, and the first year comes to 24 hours, with the accrual cap of 24 hours reached on Monday, September 13, 2027. The latest an employer could hold off use is Saturday, April 3, 2027.
- By Sunday, April 4, 2027: 8 hours
- By Sunday, July 4, 2027: 16.66 hours
- By Tuesday, January 4, 2028: 24 hours
Your own figures: open the calculator set to Arizona.
What the time covers
The employee's own mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; care of a family member with one; closure of the workplace, or of a child's school or care center, by a public official in a public health emergency; and absences needed because of domestic violence, sexual violence, abuse or stalking.
Unused hours at year end
Unused time carries over to the next year, subject to the yearly caps. An employer may instead pay out unused time at the end of the year and give a fresh balance for the new year.
Front-loading instead of accrual
Allowed: an employer may give the full year's expected accrual at the start of the year.
Smaller employers and who is covered
Fewer than 15 employees: the yearly cap is 24 hours instead of 40. Full-time, part-time and temporary employees all count, and an employer with 15 or more on payroll in 20 calendar weeks of this or last year uses the 40-hour rule.
Worth knowing
An employee rehired within nine months gets unused time back, and a successor employer must honor time accrued with the prior employer. Unused time doesn't have to be paid out when the job ends.
Not stated on the official pages we read: notice and poster rules, local ordinances.
Official sources
- A.R.S. 23-372, Accrual of earned paid sick time (Arizona Legislature) (checked November 2026)
- A.R.S. 23-373, Use of earned paid sick time (Arizona Legislature) (checked November 2026)
- Wage and earned paid sick time FAQs (Industrial Commission of Arizona) (checked November 2026)
Rules as published on the pages above, checked November 2026. General information, not legal advice; we are not lawyers. A city ordinance, union contract or written policy can give employees more.
Questions employers ask
How much paid sick leave do employees earn in Arizona?
At least 1 hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Overtime-exempt employees are assumed to work 40 hours a week unless their normal week is shorter. Employers with 15 or more employees may cap accrual at 40 hours a year; employers with fewer than 15, at 24 hours a year, unless the employer chooses a higher limit.
When can a new employee start using sick leave in Arizona?
Time may be used as it accrues, but an employer may require a 90-day wait for employees hired after July 1, 2017.
Does unused sick time carry over to the next year in Arizona?
Unused time carries over to the next year, subject to the yearly caps. An employer may instead pay out unused time at the end of the year and give a fresh balance for the new year.
Can a Arizona employer front-load sick leave instead of tracking accrual?
Allowed: an employer may give the full year's expected accrual at the start of the year.
Do small employers in Arizona have to provide it?
Fewer than 15 employees: the yearly cap is 24 hours instead of 40. Full-time, part-time and temporary employees all count, and an employer with 15 or more on payroll in 20 calendar weeks of this or last year uses the 40-hour rule.
What can Arizona sick leave be used for?
The employee's own mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; care of a family member with one; closure of the workplace, or of a child's school or care center, by a public official in a public health emergency; and absences needed because of domestic violence, sexual violence, abuse or stalking.
All states: paid sick leave laws by state · California