Alaska paid sick leave law
The short answer
Alaska paid sick leave: employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ) Employers with 15 or more employees must allow employees to accrue and use up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ) Employers with fewer than 15 employees must allow employees to accrue and use up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ)
Last verified Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule
General information, not legal advice. This page is for general information only and isn’t legal, financial or tax advice. Laws vary by state and change; check the official source or talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Every rule on this page links to its official source.
Paid sick leave
Do you have to give paid sick leave?Yes, statewideVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Accrual: Alaska paid sick leave: employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ)
“Sick leave is accrued at the minimum rate of one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours of work, no matter how those hours are scheduled or paid, including regular time, overtime, or different pay rates.”
“Employers with fewer than 15 employees shall allow employees to accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked,”
labor.alaska.gov · labor.alaska.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Annual cap 15 or more employees: Employers with 15 or more employees must allow employees to accrue and use up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ)
“Employers with 15 or more employees (FTE’s) must allow up to 56 hours per year.”
“Employers with 15 or more employees shall allow employees to accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, but employees are not entitled to accrue or use more than 56 hours of paid sick leave per year, unless their employer sets a higher limit.”
labor.alaska.gov · labor.alaska.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Annual cap under 15 employees: Employers with fewer than 15 employees must allow employees to accrue and use up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ)
“Employers with fewer than 15 employees (FTE’s) must allow workers to accrue and use up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year.”
“Employers with fewer than 15 employees shall allow employees to accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, but employees are not entitled to accrue or use more than 40 hours of paid sick leave per year, unless their employer sets a higher limit.”
labor.alaska.gov · labor.alaska.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Effective date: Alaska's paid sick leave requirement took effect July 1, 2025. (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ)
“This FAQ addresses common questions about Alaska’s Paid Sick Leave requirements under AS 23.10.066–23.10.069, effective July 1, 2025.”
“Paid sick leave as provided in this section shall begin to accrue at the commencement of employment or July 1, 2025, whichever is later.”
labor.alaska.gov · labor.alaska.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Employer coverage: All employers in Alaska must provide paid sick leave, with no minimum employer size; certain employees are exempted by statute. (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ)
“All employers in Alaska are required to provide paid sick leave to all employees, except for certain employees exempted by statute from the requirements.”
“Employers in Alaska are required to provide their employees paid sick leave as follows:”
labor.alaska.gov · labor.alaska.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
What it means for an employer
- Put your sick leave policy in writing: accrual rate, yearly cap, carryover and how to request leave.
- Track accrued and used hours for each employee in payroll.
- Check the verified rules above for the employer size and employees covered.
The federal default
“There is currently no federal law guaranteeing access to paid sick leave, although many states and localities have passed paid sick leave laws.”
State rules can add to the federal default. The Alaska rules above are the ones we verified; for anything not covered, ask the state labor office.
Paid sick leave: Alaska and its neighbors
Alaska has no land borders; the table compares it with Washington, Oregon, Hawaii.
| State | Paid sick leave |
|---|---|
| Alaska | Yes, statewide |
| Washington | Yes, statewide |
| Oregon | Yes, statewide |
| Hawaii | No statewide law |
Only verified rules are shown. "Not verified" means we have not checked that state's rule yet; open its rulebook for the official source.
Related
Questions about Alaska paid sick leave law
Do you have to give paid sick leave in Alaska?
Accrual: Alaska paid sick leave: employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ) Annual cap 15 or more employees: Employers with 15 or more employees must allow employees to accrue and use up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ) Annual cap under 15 employees: Employers with fewer than 15 employees must allow employees to accrue and use up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ) Effective date: Alaska's paid sick leave requirement took effect July 1, 2025. (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ) Employer coverage: All employers in Alaska must provide paid sick leave, with no minimum employer size; certain employees are exempted by statute. (Alaska DOLWD, Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave FAQ)
Sources (3)
Checked Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error