Alaskans have voted to pass several new important labor and employment laws, including a new sick leave law. Effective July 1, 2025, the law will require employers to provide paid sick leave as follows:
- Employers with 15 or more employees must allow employees to accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, but employees are not entitled to accrue or use more than 56 hours of paid sick leave per year, unless their employer sets a higher limit.
- Employers with fewer than 15 employees must allow employees to accrue a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, but employees are not entitled to accrue or use more than 40 hours of paid sick leave per year, unless their employer sets a higher limit.
Employees will be allowed to use paid sick leave for the following reasons:
- An employee’s mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; the employee’s need for medical diagnosis, care, or treatment; or the employee’s need for preventative medical care;
- Care or assistance to the employee’s family member relating to the needs described above. “Family member” means an immediate family member as defined pursuant to AS 39.52.960(11); a domestic partner; a foster child, legal ward, or person to whom an employee stands in loco parentis; a foster parent, adoptive parent, legal guardian, or a person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor child; or any other individual related by blood or whose close association is the equivalent of a family relationship; or
- Absences necessary due to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, provided the leave is to allow the employee to obtain for the employee or a family member; medical or psychological attention; services from a victim’s aid organization; relocation or steps to secure an existing home; or legal services, including participation in any investigation or civil or criminal proceeding.
Additionally, the state’s minimum wage will increase as follows:
- Beginning July 1, 2025, the minimum wage will be $13.00 per hour;
- Effective July 1, 2026, the minimum wage will be $14.00 per hour;
- Effective July 1, 2027, the minimum wage will be $15.00 per hour; and
- Thereafter the minimum wage will be adjusted annually for inflation.
Finally, under the law, employers may not take or threaten to take adverse employment action against an employee because that employee refuses to:
- Attend an employer-sponsored meeting, the primary purpose of which is to communicate the employer’s opinion about religious matters or political matters; or
- Listen to communications, the primary purpose of which is to communicate the employer’s opinion about religious matters or political matters.
Click here to access the full text of the law.
