The Michigan Earned Sick Time Act, which took effect Feb. 21, sets a new threshold for the amount of paid sick time employers must provide to employees and broadens access for some part-time and temporary staff.
Regular employees at U-M, who are eligible for paid time off, already receive sick time that meets or exceeds ESTA requirements.
However, ESTA introduces new circumstances for which employees can use their sick time. Also, part-time employees who do not already receive paid sick time, and temporary employees will be newly eligible to earn paid sick time based on the hours worked.
The university’s implementation of ESTA took effect March 23. This includes establishing accrual banks for employees as of February when the law went into effect.
Accruals of ESTA paid sick time
ESTA guarantees that employees accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked with usage limited to 72 hours per calendar year. Most employees will not receive an increase in their paid time off since the university’s current benefits already meet or exceed the ESTA requirements. ESTA will run concurrently with available paid time off.
Impacts of ESTA on existing sick time policies
Both ESTA and the university’s sick time pay SPG provide paid time off for preventative care, personal illness, care of family members, impacts of domestic violence and sexual assault, and public health emergency resulting in workplace closure.
A new reason to use short-term sick — meetings at a child’s school related to impacts of a disability or domestic violence or sexual assault — will be added to the sick time pay SPG.
New uses for ESTA time only
Employees may use earned sick time for two new uses covered by ESTA:
- Documented exposure to a communicable disease.
- Care for a domestic partner who does not qualify as an other qualified adult.
