Congress moves to guarantee paid sick leave for millions of workers
S. 3869 — Healthy Families Act · Filed by Bernie Sanders (I-VT) · 35 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 12, 2026 · Referred to committee
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill requires employers with 1+ employees to provide workers with at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked (capped at 56 hours/year unless the employer chooses higher), usable for the employee's own health needs, family care, or absences related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Employees can begin using accrued time after 60 days of employment, and unused time carries over year to year. The bill covers most private-sector workers, federal employees, and state/local employees whose employers receive federal funding.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core mechanism is a straightforward labor standard: employers must accrue and allow use of paid sick time. It is not a subsidy, tax carve-out, or deregulation; it is a floor-setting employment protection.
What the text implies
- Employers with existing paid-leave policies that meet or exceed the standard are exempt from the accrual requirement, creating an incentive to maintain or expand existing leave policies rather than adopt the minimum.
- The 60-day waiting period before use (though accrual begins immediately) may disadvantage short-tenure workers and those in high-turnover industries.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who it affects
Ordinary workers gain a concrete, enforceable right to paid time off for health and family care without fear of retaliation or job loss, addressing a significant gap in U.S. labor protections.