Accessibility Tools

Skip to main content

Paid Sick Leave and On Call Scheduling: Changes in Georgia Law Effective July 1

Written on .

July 1 is traditionally the time for new laws to take effect in the state of Georgia. This year, there are two new laws that Georgia employers need to be aware of.

Paid Sick Leave. Effective July 1, 2017, Georgia employers that already provide paid sick leave to employees will be required to allow employees to use up to 5 days of that paid sick leave to care for immediate family members. The law defines "immediate family member" as "an employee's child, spouse, grandchild, grandparent, or parent or any dependents as shown in the employee's most recent tax return." Note that the new law does not require employers to offer paid sick leave to employees; rather, it applies only if an employer elects to offer paid sick leave to employees. Note also that the law applies only to employers with more than 25 employees, and only to employees who work at least 30 hours a week. Thus, part-time employees who work less than 30 hours a week are not entitled to the protections of the new law.

Pro tip: Georgia is not the only state that has enacted a law dealing with paid leave for employees; we have seen other states (Arizona, New York) and municipalities (Chicago, Cook County Illinois, Minneapolis, St. Paul) enacting such laws. Employers should be alert for new developments in the areas where they have employees.

On call scheduling. This new Georgia law preempts local governments from adopting higher minimum wage requirements or requiring additional overtime pay above and beyond federal law requirements. The new law also provides that local governments may not require employers to provide employees "additional pay based on schedule changes."

Many see this new law as an employer-friendly endorsement of "on call" scheduling, by which employees are notified shortly before scheduled work time whether they must report for work. This practice allows employers to match staffing to customer needs and promotes efficiency for employers. In contrast, some other jurisdictions, such as San Francisco and Seattle, require employers to compensate employees when their shifts are changed or cancelled without sufficient notice.

Kathleen J. Jennings
Former Principal

Kathleen J. Jennings is a former principal in the Atlanta office of Wimberly, Lawson, Steckel, Schneider, & Stine, P.C. She defends employers in employment matters, such as sexual harassment, discrimination, Wage and Hour, OSHA, restrictive covenants, and other employment litigation and provides training and counseling to employers in employment matters.

Related Content

Get Email Updates

Receive newsletters and alerts directly in your email inbox. Sign up below.

Recent Content

A federal district judge in San Francisco on Monday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from terminating deportation protections f…
webinar promo graphic, Ideas for Coping with Labor Shortages in Light of Immigration Changes
In light of the massive enforcement efforts underway by the new Administration regarding unauthorized workers, including the termination of…
Silhouette worker
Recent changes in the composition of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and government directives suggest the possibility of signif…
change neon sign
There’s a new Administration in DC, and things are changing rapidly. Executive Orders articulate new policies, there’s new leadership with…
a closet of color coordinated clothes
On his second day in office, January 21, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled:  “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restor…
immigrants collecting crops
Trump's Executive Orders presently do not affect employees who are authorized to work at the present time but may affect any workers who ar…