(a) Earned sick and safe leave. An employer must provide each employee earned sick and safe leave for work performed in the County paid at the same rate and with the same benefits as the employee normally earns. A tipped employee must be paid at least the County minimum wage required under Section 27-68 for each hour the employee uses earned sick and safe leave. An employer with fewer than 5 employees must provide each employee with both paid and unpaid sick and safe leave for work performed in the County as required in subsection (c). An employee must accrue paid leave before accruing unpaid leave in a calendar year.
(b) Rate of accrual for an employer with 5 or more employees. The paid earned sick and safe leave provided under subsection (a) must accrue at a rate of at least 1 hour for every 30 hours an employee works in the County, except an employer with 5 or more employees must not be required to allow an employee to:
(1) earn more than 56 hours of earned sick and safe leave in a calendar year; or
(2) use more than 80 hours of earned sick and safe leave in a calendar year.
(c) Rate of accrual for an employer with fewer than 5 employees. The earned sick and safe leave provided under subsection (a) must accrue at a rate of at least 1 hour for every 30 hours an employee works in the County, except an employer with fewer than 5 employees must not be required to allow an employee to:
(1) earn more than 32 hours of paid earned sick and safe leave and 24 hours of unpaid earned sick and safe leave in a calendar year; or
(2) use more than 80 hours of earned sick and safe leave in a calendar year.
(d) Retaliation prohibited. A person must not:
(1) retaliate against any person for:
(A) lawfully opposing any violation of this Article; or
(B) filing a complaint, testifying, assisting, or participating in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this Article; or
(2) obstruct or prevent enforcement or compliance with this Article. (2015 L.M.C., ch. 29, § 1.)