The Montgomery County Council has voted unanimously to enact an earned sick and save leave bill that requires most employers doing business in the county to provide earned sick and safe leave to employees for work done in the county.

The article from mymcmedia.org states that

Enactment of the bill makes Montgomery County one of the few local jurisdictions in the nation to have some form of required sick and safe leave requirements for employees.

Earned sick and safe leave is paid leave that can be used for the injury or illness of the employee or the employee’s immediate family. It also can be used for time off needed due to domestic violence suffered by the employee or a member of the employee’s immediate family.

Under Bill 60-14, an employer could provide any type of paid time off that can be used by the employee for each of the purposes outlined in the bill to satisfy the earned sick and safe leave requirement. The bill applies to an employee, but not an independent contractor. The bill also excludes an employee who works less than eight hours a week.

The bill will take effect on Oct. 1, 2016, for most employees it covers.

To read more details about the sick and safe leave bill passage in Montgomery County, visit mymcmedia.org.