Phila. paid sick leave goes into effect Wednesday

Philadelphia's paid-sick-leave law takes effect Wednesday, and city officials are encouraging workers to make sure their employers know about the new rules.

Passed in February, the law requires employers with 10 or more workers to offer paid sick time.

Employees who were not previously given sick leave can start accruing it at a rate of one hour of paid time per 40 hours worked. The law caps sick time at 40 hours a year, or five eight-hour days.

Councilman William K. Greenlee, who pushed for the bill for more than three years, said the new law applies to 180,000 to 200,000 city residents.

Weeks after Nutter signed it into law, the state Senate passed legislation to quash it. That bill - which would make municipal paid-sick-leave laws illegal - is awaiting a final vote in the House.

Greenlee said he hopes that if the bill passes in the House, as expected, Gov. Wolf will veto it.

"We now have a law, and we're moving forward with it, and whatever happens in Harrisburg, we'll see what happens," Greenlee said.

Members of City Council had planned to stake out various SEPTA stations Wednesday morning to remind people on their way to work of their new right.

Greenlee encouraged employees to talk to their bosses and make sure there is a record of time worked.

He said the Managing Director's Office would receive complaints about noncompliant employers.