In addition to actions at the federal level to enact the "Healthy Families Act," there have been numerous efforts at state and local levels to mandate paid sick leave.

In November 2006, voters in San Francisco approved a ballot measure that requires employers to provide paid sick leave to employees in the city. The measure requires employers to give one hour of paid sick leave to an employee for every 30 hours worked. Employees are allowed to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick leave if they work for a small employer (fewer than 10 employees). Employees of larger employers can accrue up to 72 hours. The ordinance allows employees to take the paid sick leave for their own illness or to provide care for an ill child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, spouse, or domestic partner. The law became effective February 5, 2007.

Paid sick leave advocates were not as successful in the state legislatures during 2007.

Connecticut

On May 29, 2007, the Connecticut Senate passed the “Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act” (SB 601) by a vote of 23-13. The bill was not taken up in the House before the end of the session. Advocates plan to re-introduce the measure during the next legislative session. The bill would require businesses employing 50 or more to allow them to accrue up to 6-1/2 paid sick days per year.

District of Columbia

In the District of Columbia, the Paid Sick and Safe Days Act (B17- 0197), was introduced in the City Council on May 1, 2007 with unanimous co-sponsorship by all Council members. A hearing was held on July 9th, 2007. The Council is in recess until September, when it will reconvene to mark up the bill . The bill would require employers to provide workers with 10 paid sick days annually (accrued at a rate of one hour for every 26 hours worked) to be used for a worker’s own illness, to seek routine and preventive care, to care for a family member, to attend school-related activities, for domestic violence-related court appearances, or to seek other abuse-related essential services. Employers with five or fewer employees would only have to provide a maximum of five paid sick days per year for workers.

Florida

Legislators introduced the “Florida Paid Sick Leave Act” ( HB 763/ SB 2192) in February 2007. The bill would have required all employers with ten or more employees to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Workers would be able to earn up to a maximum of 52 hours per year, capped at around 6.5 days annually. Employers with less than ten employees would provide one hour for every 80 hours worked, capped at around 3.5 days annually. The paid sick days could be used for an employee’s own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to recover from incidents of domestic violence. The measure did not pass during the 2007 legislative session.

Maine

The “ Act To Care for Working Families” ( LD 1454; HP 1024­ ) was introduced in Maine in 2007. The bill would require employers with 25 or more employees to provide one hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked, capped at nine sick days per year. The measure did not pass during the 2007 legislative session and was carried over until January of 2008.

Maryland

In Maryland, the “ Healthy Families and Healthy Workplaces Act” (HB 832; SB 828) was introduced in February 2007. It called for employers with 10 or more employees to provide employees with one hour of paid sick leave for every 37 hours worked, not to exceed 56 hours. Employees would have been eligible to use the leave for a wide range of reasons, including to seek medical treatment, to care for a family member, or to recover from incidents of domestic violence. Smaller employers (with fewer than 10 employees) would be required to provide one hour for every 80 hours worked, not to exceed 26 hours annually. Committees in both legislative houses issued unfavorable reports, and the bill died when the legislature adjourned on April 9, 2007.

Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, S 1073, introduced on January 10, 2007 , would require all businesses to offer all full-time employees seven paid sick days annually. The paid sick days may be used to care for an employee’s own illness, to care for a sick family member, for an employee’s or family member’s medical appointments or treatments, or to address the psychological, physical or legal effects of domestic violence. It has not been passed.

Minnesota

The “ Healthy Families, Healthy Workplaces Act” SF 1324; HF 1334) was introduced in Minnesota in 2007. It would have provided all workers with paid sick days to be used to recover for their own illness, to care for an ill family member, to obtain diagnosis or treatment, or for absence necessary due to domestic violence. Paid sick leave would accrue at the rate of one hour per 40 hours worked, capped at 52 hours per year. Smaller businesses (businesses with less than ten employees) would only be required to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 80 hours worked, capped at 26 hours per year. The measure died when the legislative session ended on May 21, 2007.

Missouri

In Missouri, the “Healthy Families, Healthy Communities Act” (SB 637), introduced in February 2007, would require larger employers (with 10 or more employees) to provide workers with one hour of paid sick leave for every 37 hours worked, capped at 40 hours per year. Small employers would be required to provide one hour of paid leave for every 80 hours worked, capped at 26 hours per year. Employees could use this sick leave in the event of their own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to obtain medical diagnosis or treatment. The measure died when the legislative session ended on May 30, 2007.

North Carolina

The North Carolina House of Representatives considered the “Establish Paid Sick Days Act” (HB 1711), which would guarantee all workers are provided with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of seven days annually. The paid sick days provided can be used for an employee’s own illness, to care for a sick family member, or to recover from incidents of domestic violence. The Senate bill (SB 1092) would proivede only job-protected unpaid sick days for workers. The House and Senate adjourned on August 2, 2007, apparently without passing either measure.

Vermont

“ An Act Relating to Paid Sick Days ” (H 337) was introduced in Vermont on February 20, 2007. It would have required employers to provide seven paid sick days annually for employees who work 30 or more hours per week, and a pro-rated number of days for part-time workers. The leave could be used to recover from their own illness, care for an ill family member, or seek preventive or routine health care. The bill has been carried over to the 2008 legislative session.

Other reports

Paid sick leave advocates in Ohio are pushing for a ballot initiative on the matter.

Reportedly, efforts are underway to propose paid sick leave legislation in West Virginia, Montana, California, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois and Colorado.