Texas ranks among the ten states home to the largest Hispanic populations, a major force in the United States workforce.
One of the first concerns we have when we fall ill is whether we will lose our job because of it. After all, nobody plans to get sick, but we cannot avoid it when it happens, so the best way to cope is to follow medical guidance, even if that means stepping away from work.
Even more so when our illness tends to be contagious, it becomes a risk to go to the office and potentially spread it, especially now with covid-19 making rounds around the world.
In this context, local governments offer Paid Sick Leave, as is the case in New York and California; however, in the state of Texas, this does not exist as such.
“A less than federal sick leave laws apply, an employer could deny sick leave requests,” reveals the site Injury Attorney of Dallas.
Nevertheless, there is no need to panic. In the state public sector, employees are granted 8 hours for each month of work, provided they are full-time.
This leave can be eligible from the first day of work and, as in other states, can be used for an illness directly, for pregnancy, but also to care for a close family member who requires your attention.
If more days of leave are needed beyond the eight hours per month, then a note from the treating physician must be presented.
In the case of private companies, this is not an obligation, so if they do not base their policy on the Sick Leave Law that was recently expanded by President Donald Trump, they may deny this leave.
If a private employer grants the leave, they must adhere to the law’s policies. It is important to note that it can be provided with or without pay, and this decision rests solely with the employer.
What they simply cannot do is deny the days that had already been granted at the outset, so always document everything in writing to have proof in case a problem arises; verbal agreements will not protect you if the authorization is questioned.
Review your contract before requesting the days so you don’t face last-minute surprises.
An employer cannot ignore federal law; if they do, they would be violating legal and governmental codes.
In Texas, Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio approved municipal ordinances in 2018 and 2019 that require private employers to grant paid sick leave to their workers.
All three ordinances were challenged separately, as they were deemed illegal, according to the site SHRM.org.
The blunt reality is that, to date, there has not yet been any legally approved local measure benefiting employees in the state.
-How Paid Sick Leave Works and How to Take Advantage of Paid Sick Leave in New York
-How Paid Sick Leave Works and How to Take Advantage of Paid Sick Leave in California
