The City of Philadelphia Managing Director’s Office (“the Agency”) recently issued its official notice of employee rights under the Philadelphia sick leave ordinance. The notice is available at http://www.phila.gov/MDO/Documents/Sick%20leave%20flyer%204%2023%2015.pdf.

Philadelphia’s sick leave ordinance, which takes effect on May 13, 2015, requires employers to provide employees with notice of their right to sick leave by either distributing the notice to each employee or posting the notice in a conspicuous and accessible location in the workplace. Although the City has only published the notice in English thus far, employers also are required to provide the notice in any language that is the first language spoken by at least 5% of the employer’s work force.

In addition to posting or distributing the Agency’s notice, employers also are required to include the following information in any employee handbook that is distributed to employees: employees’ entitlement to sick time, amount of sick time, the terms of use guaranteed under the law, right to file a complaint, and protection from retaliation.

Employers who fail to comply with the sick leave law’s notice requirements shall be subject to a civil fine in an amount not to exceed $100 for each separate offense.