Last updated: 2026-08-23.
Statewide MandateHow Oregon's real statutory thresholds apply to specific employer profiles. Each section re-frames the state law above for one audience — the underlying figures never change, only the lens does.
For employers with fewer than 15 employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "10+ employees (6+ if Portland location)". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For employers with 50 or more employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "10+ employees (6+ if Portland location)". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant, café, and food-service operators: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including restaurants & food service, use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores, shops, and chains: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including retail employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics, hospitals, and healthcare staffing: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including healthcare employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hr teams onboarding new employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "10+ employees (6+ if Portland location)". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant and food-service operators with fewer than 15 employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small restaurants (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant groups and chains with 50 or more employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large restaurants & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores and shops with fewer than 15 employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small retail (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail chains with 50 or more employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large retail & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics and healthcare practices with fewer than 15 employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small healthcare (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hospitals and healthcare systems with 50 or more employees: Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). 1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland. Source: https://www.oregon.gov/boli; retrieved 2026-08-23.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large healthcare systems (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Statewide mandate | Yes |
| Employer threshold | 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location) |
| Accrual rate | 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
| Max accrual / year | 40 hours/year |
| Paid or unpaid | paid |
| Carryover | Yes |
| Qualified reasons | Own/family illness, preventive care, blood donation (eff 2026). |
| Effective date | Jan 1, 2016 |
| Official source | https://www.oregon.gov/boli ↗ |
These cities/counties in Oregon have their own sick leave rules that may exceed the state standard. Each links to a dedicated page with the full local breakdown.
| Locality | Employer threshold | Accrual | Max | Paid/Unpaid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | 6+ employees | 1 hour per 30 hours | 40 hours/year | paid |
Oregon's paid sick time (ORS 653.601-653.661, from SB 454, effective Jan 1, 2016) exceeds the federal floor. There is no nationwide federal paid sick leave mandate for private employers; the only federal guarantee is the unpaid FMLA (29 U.S.C. § 2601), limited to employers with 50 or more employees and eligible workers (1,250 hours). Oregon goes further: the law covers nearly all employees (paid for employers with 10 or more employees, 6 or more in Portland; protected but unpaid for smaller), accrues 1 hour per 30 hours, and pays for the time. Oregon also runs Paid Leave Oregon, a state insurance program providing partial wage replacement for longer family and medical absences — with no federal equivalent.
Oregon sits between California and Washington on accrual speed. California (Labor Code § 246) requires 1 hour per 30 hours with an 80-hour accrual / 40-hour usage cap and a 1-employee threshold. Washington (RCW 49.46) requires 1 hour per 40 hours with no accrual cap. Nevada (SB 312), Oregon's southern neighbor, mandates general paid leave at roughly 1 hour per 52 hours (0.01923) for employers with 50 or more Nevada employees. Idaho — Oregon's only eastern neighbor — has no statewide paid sick leave law, leaving the benefit to employer policy. Oregon's 1-in-30 accrual and 40-hour cap, paid from the 90th day for 10-plus-employee firms, is stricter than Washington and Idaho but in line with California on accrual rate.
| Year | Change |
|---|---|
| 2015 (eff. 2016) | SB 454 enacted Oregon's Sick Time law (ORS 653.601 et seq.): 1 hour per 30 hours, up to 40 hours per year, use from the 90th day. |
| 2024 | Final rules updating both Oregon sick leave and OFLA became effective March 2, 2024, clarifying family-member definitions (including an attestation of relationship by affinity). |
| 2025 (eff. 2026) | SB 1108 added use of paid sick time for blood donation through an accredited program, effective Jan 1, 2026. |
Employers in Oregon most often trip on the items below. Amounts are typical statutory ranges — confirm the current figure with the state labor department before acting.
| Violation | Typical penalty / fine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Denying or failing to provide accrued sick time | The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) investigates complaints and can order payment of withheld sick time and penalties; employees may also pursue a private action. | Remedies are set through BOLI's complaint process rather than a single fixed statutory dollar amount — confirm current figures with BOLI. |
| Retaliation for using sick time | Anti-retaliation protections under ORS 653.653; BOLI can order reinstatement, back pay, and penalties. | Counting protected leave as an occurrence leading to discipline is a common violation. |
| Failing to notify employees of accrued balance | BOLI may assess penalties for notice failures; employers must tell employees their accrued and used balance at least quarterly (usually on the paystub). | Notice must be given at hire and at least every four months. |
Use the button below to print or save a one-page compliance summary for Oregon. It includes the state law table and any local ordinances above.
Yes. Oregon requires paid sick leave for 10+ employees (6+ if Portland location). Accrual is 1 hour per 30 hours worked, capped at 40 hours/year, with carryover Yes.
Employees accrue 1 hour per 30 hours worked. The max accrual is 40 hours/year.
1 locality(-ies) have ordinances stricter than state law: Portland.
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