Arizona paid sick leave law
The short answer
Arizona earned paid sick time: employees accrue at least one hour for every 30 hours worked. (A.R.S. § 23-372) Employees of employers with 15 or more employees may accrue or use up to 40 hours of earned paid sick time per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (A.R.S. § 23-372) Employees of employers with fewer than 15 employees may accrue or use up to 24 hours of earned paid sick time per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (A.R.S. § 23-372)
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: Arizona earned paid sick time: employees accrue at least one hour for every 30 hours worked. (A.R.S. § 23-372)
“B. Employees of an employer with fewer than 15 employees shall accrue a minimum of one hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked,”
“Beginning July 1, 2017, employees would earn at least 1 hour of sick time for each 30 hours worked;”
azleg.gov · azleg.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Annual cap 15 or more employees: Employees of employers with 15 or more employees may accrue or use up to 40 hours of earned paid sick time per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (A.R.S. § 23-372)
“A. Employees of an employer with 15 or more employees shall accrue a minimum of one hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, but employees shall not be entitled to accrue or use more than 40 hours of earned paid sick time per year, unless the employer selects a higher limit.”
“employees in companies with 15 or more employees would not be entitled to accrue or use more than 40 hours of sick time each year.”
azleg.gov · azleg.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Annual cap under 15 employees: Employees of employers with fewer than 15 employees may accrue or use up to 24 hours of earned paid sick time per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (A.R.S. § 23-372)
“B. Employees of an employer with fewer than 15 employees shall accrue a minimum of one hour of earned paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, but employees shall not be entitled to accrue or use more than 24 hours of earned paid sick time per year, unless the employer selects a higher limit.”
“employees in companies with fewer than 15 employees would not be entitled to accrue or use more than 24 hours of sick time each year”
azleg.gov · azleg.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Effective date: Arizona earned paid sick time began to accrue on July 1, 2017 (or at the start of employment, if later). (A.R.S. § 23-372)
“1. Earned paid sick time as provided in this section shall begin to accrue at the commencement of employment or on July 1, 2017, whichever is later.”
“Beginning July 1, 2017, employees would earn at least 1 hour of sick time for each 30 hours worked;”
azleg.gov · azleg.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Employer coverage: Arizona's earned paid sick time applies to private employers of any size, including small businesses exempt from the state minimum wage law; the State of Arizona and the United States are not covered employers. (A.R.S. § 23-371)
“G. "Employer" includes any corporation, proprietorship, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, trust, association, political subdivision of the state, individual or other entity acting directly or indirectly in the interest of an employer in relation to an employee, but does not include the State of Arizona or the United States.”
“A small business currently exempt under the state minimum wage law would be covered as an employer for the purposes of the sick time requirements.”
azleg.gov · azleg.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 Arizona rules above are the ones we verified; for anything not covered, ask the state labor office.
Paid sick leave: Arizona and its neighbors
| State | Paid sick leave |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Yes, statewide |
| California | Yes, statewide |
| Nevada | Not verified |
| Utah | Not verified |
| Colorado | Yes, statewide |
| New Mexico | Yes, statewide |
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 Arizona paid sick leave law
Do you have to give paid sick leave in Arizona?
Accrual: Arizona earned paid sick time: employees accrue at least one hour for every 30 hours worked. (A.R.S. § 23-372) Annual cap 15 or more employees: Employees of employers with 15 or more employees may accrue or use up to 40 hours of earned paid sick time per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (A.R.S. § 23-372) Annual cap under 15 employees: Employees of employers with fewer than 15 employees may accrue or use up to 24 hours of earned paid sick time per year (unless the employer sets a higher limit). (A.R.S. § 23-372) Effective date: Arizona earned paid sick time began to accrue on July 1, 2017 (or at the start of employment, if later). (A.R.S. § 23-372) Employer coverage: Arizona's earned paid sick time applies to private employers of any size, including small businesses exempt from the state minimum wage law; the State of Arizona and the United States are not covered employers. (A.R.S. § 23-371)
Sources (4)
Checked Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error