Labor & Employment (Paid Leave)

SB 10 establishes a state-run paid family leave program in Alaska, providing wage replacement coverage for eligible workers. It directly affects state employees (covered at no cost), employees of participating local governments or private employers who join the program, and individuals using a state purchasing pool. Key provisions include 100% wage replacement up to $3,000 weekly (based on recent earnings), a minimum 6-week coverage period for non-state workers, and requirements for employers with 50+ employees to handle payroll deductions. Enrollment requires 7 days of prior participation and either 35 hours/week for six months or 17.5 hours/week for 12 consecutive months with the employer.

SB 189 requires employers with 50 or more employees in Alaska to provide paid sick leave, mandating 1 hour of leave for every 30 hours worked (capped at 56 hours annually). Smaller employers (fewer than 15 employees) must offer 1 hour per 30 hours worked but are capped at 40 hours annually. The leave can be used for personal illness, family care, preventative health, or safety-related needs like domestic violence, and accrues from hire or July 1, 2025, carrying over yearly. Employers with existing paid leave policies meeting these standards are exempt from providing additional leave.

HB 161 requires most Alaska employers to provide paid sick leave: businesses with 50+ employees must offer 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked (capped at 56 hours yearly), while smaller businesses (fewer than 15 employees) must offer 1 hour per 30 hours (capped at 40 hours yearly). Employees can use this leave for their own medical care, family health needs, or domestic violence situations, with accrual starting at hire or July 1, 2025. Unused leave carries over annually but cannot exceed the yearly caps. The law applies to private sector workers and allows cashing out accrued leave upon request.

HB 193 establishes a paid parental leave program in Alaska, allowing eligible workers to take paid time off for childbirth, adoption, or foster placement within 12 months. The program is funded by a 0.15% payroll contribution from employees (credited against their unemployment insurance payments), with the Department of Labor and Workforce Development administering claims and verifying eligibility using documents like birth certificates or adoption papers. Employees must earn at least $2,500 in wages across two calendar quarters to qualify. The bill also includes provisions for the fund to support unemployment benefits, but its primary focus is creating the new paid leave program.