Paid Sick and Family Leave for Household Employees
A growing number of states and some cities require household employers to provide paid sick leave, and a few run paid family leave programs funded through payroll contributions. There's no federal requirement, so whether this applies to you depends entirely on where you live.
Paid sick leave
Where required, paid sick leave laws typically require employees to accrue a set amount of paid time off based on hours worked (often 1 hour of leave per 30–40 hours worked), usable for their own illness or a family member's care.
Paid family and medical leave
Separately, some states run paid family leave insurance programs, funded through small payroll deductions (from the employee, the employer, or both, depending on the state), that pay employees partial wages during extended leave for a new child or a family medical emergency — similar in spirit to unemployment insurance, but for leave instead of job loss.
How to find out what applies to you
Check our coverage page for what we've verified in your state. Because this area changes frequently and varies by city as well as state, always confirm with your state or local labor department before assuming a specific rule applies.
Frequently asked questions
Does Sadie track paid leave balances?
Not yet. Sadie calculates payroll taxes today; leave-balance tracking is on our roadmap. If your state requires it, you'll need to track accrual and usage separately for now.
Do these rules apply to part-time household employees?
Often yes, though many paid leave laws have hours or wage thresholds before accrual is required — check your specific state's rule.
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Get the payroll math handled — leave rules included in your planning.
Sadie calculates federal and available state payroll taxes; check our Coverage page for leave requirements as you plan your household budget.
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Rules vary by state and change over time — confirm anything specific to your situation with a licensed professional or your state's labor department.