What are the City of Pittsburgh paid sick leave rules effective January 1, 2026?

Effective January 1, 2026 under Ordinance 2025-1736, covered employees in Pittsburgh accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked in the city. The annual cap is 72 hours for employers with 15 or more employees, and 48 hours for employers with fewer than 15 employees.

Do employers in the City of Pittsburgh have to comply with both City and Allegheny County sick leave laws?

No. Under Allegheny County Code Article XXIV § 2411, employers located in municipalities that have enacted an ordinance providing paid sick leave equal to or greater than the County’s standard (such as the City of Pittsburgh) are exempt from County Article XXIV. There is no duplicate or stacked accrual.

Which employers are subject to the Allegheny County Paid Sick Leave Ordinance?

Allegheny County Article XXIV applies to employers with 26 or more employees worldwide. Covered employees who work at least 35 hours in Allegheny County (outside exempt municipalities) accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave per 35 hours worked, up to a 40-hour annual cap.

Is unused paid sick leave cashed out when an employee leaves a job in Pittsburgh or Allegheny County?

No. Neither the City of Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act (Chapter 626.03(f)) nor the Allegheny County Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (Article XXIV § 2404(F)) requires employers to pay out accrued, unused sick leave upon separation from employment.

Western Pennsylvania Municipal Law • Pittsburgh Ch. 626 • Allegheny County Art. XXIV

Pittsburgh & Allegheny County Paid Sick Leave Rules: 2026 Ordinance Updates

A comprehensive legal guide to Western Pennsylvania’s dual municipal sick leave framework: the January 1, 2026 Pittsburgh amendments, Allegheny County employer size thresholds, and statutory non-stacking provisions.

Direct Answer Summary

Western Pennsylvania has two distinct paid sick leave ordinances: City of Pittsburgh (Chapter 626) and Allegheny County (Article XXIV). Effective January 1, 2026, Pittsburgh accelerated its accrual rate to 1 hour per 30 hours worked, with annual caps of 72 hours (15+ employees) and 48 hours (<15 employees). Outside Pittsburgh, Allegheny County covers employers with 26+ employees (1 hour per 35 hours worked, 40-hour cap). Crucially, Article XXIV § 2411 strictly exempts Pittsburgh employers, eliminating double-counting or stacking.

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1. The Statutory Non-Stacking Rule: Article XXIV § 2411

When Allegheny County enacted Article XXIV on December 15, 2021, employers raised concerns about overlapping compliance in municipalities that already had sick leave ordinances.

To resolve this, Allegheny County Code of Ordinances Article XXIV § 2411 explicitly codified a municipal exemption rule:

"Any municipality that enacts an ordinance providing paid sick leave to employees with benefits that are equal to or greater than those provided under this Article shall be exempt from the provisions of this Article."

Because the City of Pittsburgh maintains its own enforceable Paid Sick Days Act, employees working within the City of Pittsburgh are governed solely by Chapter 626. They do not accrue additive or stacked leave under the County ordinance.

2. City of Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act (Chapter 626)

Originally enacted in 2015 and upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 2019, the City of Pittsburgh Paid Sick Days Act became effective on March 15, 2020. Effective January 1, 2026, City Council enacted Ordinance 2025-1736, amending Chapter 626 with substantial benefit increases:

Post-January 1, 2026 Rules (Current)

Accrual: 1 hour per 30 hours worked in Pittsburgh.
Coverage: At least 30 hours worked in Pittsburgh in calendar year.
15+ Employees: 72 hours paid sick leave annual cap.
Fewer than 15 Employees: 48 hours paid sick leave annual cap.

Pre-2026 Rules (Historical)

Accrual: 1 hour per 35 hours worked in Pittsburgh.
Coverage: At least 35 hours worked in Pittsburgh in calendar year.
15+ Employees: 40 hours paid sick leave cap.
Fewer than 15 Employees: 24 hours cap.

Statutory Text Precedence: Certain informal agency summaries described the smaller-employer tier as "unpaid". However, the enacted Ordinance 2025-1736 explicitly amended § 626.03 to designate the smaller tier as paid sick time up to 48 hours. The enacted ordinance text is controlling law.

3. Allegheny County Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (Article XXIV)

For employees working in Allegheny County outside of exempt municipalities (such as Monroeville, Bethel Park, Penn Hills, or Robinson Township), Article XXIV governs:

26-Employee Employer Threshold (§ 2403): Article XXIV covers only employers with 26 or more employees worldwide. Employers with 25 or fewer employees are exempt from County paid sick leave mandates.
Employee Coverage Threshold (§ 2404): An employee must perform at least 35 hours of work within Allegheny County in a calendar year.
Accrual Rate: 1 hour of paid sick time for every 35 hours worked in the County.
Annual Statutory Cap: 40 hours per calendar year.

4. The 90-Day Usage Waiting Period & Separation Rules

Both ordinances share key administrative standards:

90-Day Waiting Period: Employees begin accruing sick leave on day 1, but are entitled to use accrued leave only upon reaching the 90th calendar day of employment (Pittsburgh Code § 626.04; Allegheny County Art. XXIV § 2405(A)). If employment start dates are omitted, the calculator certifies accrued hours while designating usage as Usage Unverified.
No Mandatory Cashout: Unused accrued sick leave is not required to be cashed out upon employee separation (Pittsburgh Code § 626.03(f); Allegheny County Art. XXIV § 2404(F)).
Frontloading Permitted: Employers in both jurisdictions may satisfy statutory accrual requirements by frontloading the full annual allotment at the beginning of the benefit year.

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