New Sick Leave Law Helps Caregivers

Lisa F. Young

Many Georgians hold two jobs—one that pays the bills and the other unpaid, taking care of a loved one at home. For such workers, finding time to attend to the needs of a sick child or an infirm parent is especially stressful if it means losing a day’s wages.

A new state law backed by AARP Georgia aims to help. The Family Care Act, which takes effect July 1, allows workers to use up to five days of earned paid sick leave per year to care for their immediate family members. The law applies to those employed at least 30 hours a week at a business with 25 or more employees.

More than 1.3 million Georgians serve as family caregivers. Previously, an estimated 878,000 workers in Georgia did not have access to paid leave to tend to a family member’s needs, according to the Georgia Job/Family Collaborative.

For more information, go to aarp.com/ga.