Healthy Families Act
House Democrats' Healthy Families Act Would Guarantee 7 Days of Paid Sick Leave for Most U.S. Workers
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This bill would allow workers to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours they work. Most employees would be able to earn up to 56 hours (about seven days) of paid time off each year to recover from an illness, see a doctor, or care for a sick family member.
- The rules would apply to almost all employers with at least one worker, including private businesses, the government, and the railroad industry. Employees would start earning time on their first day of work and could begin using it after 60 days on the job.
- Workers could use this time for themselves or to care for a wide range of people, including children, parents, spouses, domestic partners, or anyone else they consider family. It also covers time needed to seek help or legal protection regarding domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
- Employers would be prohibited from firing, demoting, or punishing workers for using their earned sick time. They also cannot require a worker to find their own replacement as a condition for taking the time off.
- If a worker is out for more than three days in a row, an employer can ask for a doctor's note or other documentation. While unused sick time can be carried over to the next year, employers are not required to pay workers for unused time if they leave the company.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
The bill applies to any employer with one or more employees, meaning even the smallest businesses would need to provide paid sick time. This creates new labor costs and administrative requirements — tracking accrued hours, maintaining records, and posting required notices. Small businesses without existing paid leave policies would face the biggest adjustment, potentially increasing labor costs by several percent for low-margin operations.
Programs
Disabilities
Milestones
Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce, and in addition to the Committees on House Administration, and Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Related News
5 articles
Gillibrand, Sanders introduce legislation to guarantee paid sick leave
The Healthy Families Act would guarantee every worker in America up to seven paid sick days each year to recover from illness, access preventive care, or care for a family member. It also allows victims of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault to use paid sick days to seek assistance.
Policy Week in Review – February 13, 2026
Senator Bernie Sanders and Rosa DeLauro introduced 'The Healthy Families Act,' which would guarantee paid sick leave to every American worker. The legislation is endorsed by major labor unions including the AFL-CIO, SEIU, and UAW.
Sanders and DeLauro reintroduce bill on paid sick leave
The Healthy Families Act would allow workers to annually accrue up to 56 hours of job-protected paid sick leave. Under the act, covered workers would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Employers with existing policies meeting these standards would not be required to change.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Healthy Families Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(148)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.