Rhode Island law requires employers who employ 18 or more employees, to provide eligible employees with paid sick and safe leave accrued at a rate of one hour for every 35 hours worked. Employees can use up to 40 hours of accrued sick and safe leave per year for diagnosis, care, and treatment for their or their family member’s mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition. Paid sick and safe leave may also be used during public health emergencies if the employee’s place of work or their child’s school/place of care is closed, or if they or their family members are required to remove themselves from the workplace to avoid jeopardizing the health of themselves or others. The employee may also take paid sick and safe leave if they or their family member become victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. For the purposes of this law, “family member” is defined as an employee’s “child, parent, spouse, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, or domestic partner, sibling, care recipient, or member of the employee’s household.”
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