Employees in Austin, Texas have the right to use their accumulated paid sick leave for mental health days. The Austin City Council recently passed an ordinance that grants private sector employees the right to request “on-time” leave before their scheduled work schedule without being denied due to a qualified and unforeseeable absence. Employers must review the compliance requirements set out in the new ordinance, including the new reporting and record-keeping obligations. They are not allowed to transfer, downgrade, dismiss, suspend, reduce hours, or directly threaten to take these measures against an employee for requesting or using earned sick time, or for reporting a violation or participating in an administrative proceeding related to PSL regulations.
Employees will have the right to transfer unused leave time to the following year, up to the annual accrual limit, unless the employer chooses to bring forward at least 64 hours of leave (or 48 hours for employers with 15 employees or fewer) to the beginning of the year. Additionally, employers may not require an employee to seek a replacement to cover accumulated sick hours as a condition for using accumulated sick time. By becoming the first city in southern states to pass a paid sick leave law, Austin joins other cities in the country that already have such an ordinance. This law ensures that employees can use their paid sick leave for mental health days without fear of retribution from their employer. Employees must be able to start using their accumulated paid sick leave no later than 60 calendar days after the start of their employment.
This law provides employees with peace of mind that they can take care of their mental health without fear of repercussions from their employer. As an expert in SEO, I recommend formatting this article with bold keywords and
