Last year, voters in Alaska passed Ballot Measure 1. Effective July 1, it increases the state minimum wage to $13 per hour from $11.91 per hour and establishes paid sick leave (PSL) requirements. The Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD) Labor Standards and Safety Division has issued FAQs to clarify the changes.
PSL Accrual
Employers must provide 1 hour of PSL for every 30 hours of work, whether the hours worked are straight time or overtime.
Small employers with fewer than 15 employees are required to allow employees to accrue and use up to 40 hours of PSL per year. Employers with 15 or more employees are required to allow employees to accrue and use up to 56 hours of PSL per year.
Notification Requirements
Employers are required to notify their employees in writing of their right to PSL, the amount of PSL, the terms of use, and that retaliation is prohibited. Notification must be given at the time of hire or within 30 days of July 1 for current employees (between June 1 and July 31).
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Lia Coniglio, Esq., is Managing Editor of PayState Update and Senior Manager of State Payroll Information Resources for PayrollOrg.
