Philadelphia passes emergency paid leave law for many workers affected by pandemic

The Philadelphia City Council recently passed the Public Health Emergency (PHE) Leave Bill, which Mayor Jim Kinney signed into law on September 17, 2020. The bill was designed to provide supplemental paid time off (PTO) for certain purposes during the last quarter of 2020. It covers workers who must physically report to work during the COVID-19 crisis but aren’t eligible for benefits under the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) or other federal or state laws.

Covered hiring entities and employees

PHE leave is PTO that becomes available for particular groups of employees during any period when the federal, state, or local government declares an emergency related to a public health threat, risk, disaster, or emergency affecting Philadelphia. The law applies to all “hiring entities,” i.e., employers—regardless of their business size—that pay a wage for the services of a “covered individual.”

The new law covers employees who work at least 40 hours per year in Philadelphia and engage in one of the following activities: