How Much Sick Leave Time Do I Get in Texas?

If you’re ill, you should not have to power through it to prove that you are a dedicated employee. Too many times, workers continue to force themselves to work through an illness because of fear that they will appear weak or be fired. Under Texas law, employers are not required to provide sick time. However, there are situations where leave time is protected by federal law. Most employers will have a sick leave policy in place.

What Laws Protect Employees for Sick Leave?

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): This federal law allows for up to 12 weeks of paid or unpaid leave to employees who work at a company with at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius of the workplace, for at least a year. Reasons for leave include an employee’s serious health condition, a health problem of an immediate family member, and the birth or adoption of a child. Both Mothers and fathers are protected under leave laws for pregnancies under the FMLA. The law also requires employees to maintain group health benefits while on leave. There are special military provisions for military members. Up to 26 weeks of leave is allowed to care for a seriously injured service member that is an immediate family member.

Your employer’s sick and vacation leave will likely be included in your employment policies. Checking your work policies is a good idea if you are not sure how much sick time you are supposed to get. It happens too often that employers breach FMLA laws or even their own policies.

Dallas employment lawyer Dan A. Atkerson checks employment contracts and makes sure employers are giving their workers a legal amount of leave time from work.