Oregon Paid Sick Time at a glance
| Rule | Value |
|---|---|
| Accrual rate | 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
| Annual use cap | 40 hours |
| Carryover cap (end of year) | 40 hours |
| Balance cap | 80 hours |
| Waiting period before first use | 90 calendar days |
| Paid threshold (statewide) | 10+ employees |
| Paid threshold (employer with Portland location) | 6+ employees |
| Statute | ORS 653.601-653.661 |
The paid vs. unpaid threshold — the part workers most often get wrong
Oregon's sick time law has a two-tier paid threshold that trips up workers and employers alike. The general rule is 10 or more employees statewide. But if the employer has any Oregon location in Portland, the threshold drops to 6 or more employees. This means:
| Employer size | No Portland location | Any Portland location |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 employees | Unpaid sick time required | Unpaid sick time required |
| 6-9 employees | Unpaid sick time required | PAID sick time required |
| 10+ employees | PAID sick time required | PAID sick time required |
In all cases, Oregon law requires the employer to provide sick time and protect the employee's job — the distinction is only whether that time must be compensated. Workers below the paid threshold still have all the accrual, carryover, and use-protection rights; they just receive it without pay.
Permitted uses for Oregon sick time
Under ORS 653.601 et seq., employees may use accrued sick time for:
- The employee's own mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition
- Care for a family member with illness, injury, or health condition
- Public health emergency closures (school, work, childcare)
- Domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, or stalking (employee or covered family member as victim)
- Blood donation (added effective January 1, 2026 per OAR 839-007-0020, amended December 19, 2025)
Oregon Paid Sick Time vs. Paid Leave Oregon — critical distinction
These are two entirely separate programs. Conflating them is the most common misunderstanding about Oregon leave law:
| Feature | Oregon Paid Sick Time (ORS 653.601) | Paid Leave Oregon (ORS 657B) |
|---|---|---|
| Who administers | Oregon BOLI | Oregon Employment Department (OED) |
| How funded | Employer provides leave from accrual | State insurance fund (payroll contributions) |
| Typical duration | Short absences (single days) | Longer leaves (up to 12 weeks) |
| Accrual | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | No accrual — benefit paid from state fund |
| Contribution rate (2026) | N/A — no payroll deduction | 1% of wages up to $184,500 wage base |
| Max weekly benefit (2026) | N/A | $1,692.16/week |
| Statute | ORS 653.601-653.661 | ORS 657B |
For information about Paid Leave Oregon benefits and eligibility, visit paidleave.oregon.gov.
How this calculator works
The calculator divides hours worked by 30 to get raw accrual, adds that to the prior balance, subtracts leave used, and caps the result at 80 hours. The paid/unpaid determination uses your employer's employee count and Portland location — reading directly from the registry's verified thresholds. The 90-day eligibility date is calculated by adding 90 calendar days to the start date you enter.
Example: employer with 8 employees and a Portland office
Example: same employer, no Portland office
What this does not determine
- Whether a specific reason for an absence qualifies under Oregon sick time.
- Whether an employer's frontloading method (granting leave upfront) satisfies the law.
- Payout of unused sick time on termination — Oregon does not require it.
- Paid Leave Oregon benefits (a separate program).
- Retaliation protections or filing a complaint with BOLI.
Sources and verification
Accrual rate, caps, waiting period, and paid/unpaid thresholds are drawn from the Oregon BOLI Sick Time page atoregon.gov/boli/workers/pages/sick-time.aspx, which citesORS 653.601 et seq.The blood donation permitted use reflects OAR 839-007-0020 (amended December 19, 2025, effective January 1, 2026). Paid Leave Oregon contribution rates and weekly benefit amounts are verified frompaidleave.oregon.govand the OED press release dated 2026-06-28.