PTO Laws by State
What small employers need to know in each state: whether vacation is required, paid sick leave, final pay and unused PTO payout, and use-it-or-lose-it rules. Every rule links to its primary source.
Illinois PTO laws →
Illinois PTO laws require payout of earned vacation and, for most covered workers, paid leave usable for any reason. Chicago has separate paid-leave and sick-leave requirements. Start with the employee's work location, then identify which leave bank you are administering.
Massachusetts PTO laws →
Massachusetts PTO laws treat promised vacation pay as wages and require earned sick time for most workers. Sick time is paid at employers with 11 or more employees. When employment ends, earned unused vacation is payable; a discharge makes final pay due that day.
Michigan PTO laws →
Michigan PTO laws leave vacation benefits and payout to the written policy, while the Earned Sick Time Act creates separate paid-leave rights. The key size boundary is 10 or fewer employees versus larger employers. Annual sick-time use limits differ from the amount employees earn.
New York PTO laws →
New York PTO laws do not require a vacation benefit, but earned vacation must be paid if no valid written forfeiture policy applies. State sick-leave rules, separate prenatal leave and New York City's protected-time-off rules need their own review.
Texas PTO laws →
Texas PTO laws do not require private employers to offer vacation or paid sick leave. Written benefit policies matter: a promised PTO payout can become enforceable under the Texas Payday Law. Define what happens at year-end and separation before employees earn time.
Washington PTO laws →
Washington PTO laws leave ordinary vacation benefits to the employer's agreement, while requiring paid sick leave for covered workers. The state's 40-hour sick-leave carryover floor is not an annual earning cap. Some construction workers also have a mandatory separation-payout right.
Need payout and use-it-or-lose-it rules for every state at once? See the 50-state table.