In 2025, U.S. and Canadian employers saw the passage of many new workforce leave rights and other protections. These changes cover a wide range of issues that are sure to cause paid leave compliance concerns for employers. Here are examples of these new laws:
United States
- Effective January 1, 2026, California Leave for Qualified Acts of Violence expanded to include time off to attend judicial proceedings for employees who are crime victims or a family member of a crime victim.
- California Paid Family Leave benefits will expand to cover employees taking time off work to care for a seriously ill “designated person,” effective July 1, 2028. A designated person is defined as any care recipient related by blood or whose association with the individual is equal to a family relationship.
- Effective January 1, 2026, California Paid Safe Leave under the Healthy Workplace Healthy Families Act will be broadened by allowing employees to use leave to attend a range of legal proceedings when they or a family member is a victim of certain crimes.
- The new Illinois Neonatal Intensive Care Leave Act will provide unpaid leave to employees with a child in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), effective June 1, 2026.
- An amendment to the Illinois Military Leave Act requiring employers to provide up to 40 hours of yearly paid leave to employees serving on a military funeral honors detail took effect August 1, 2025.
- Colorado amended its Family Medical Leave Insurance program to provide up to 12 additional weeks of paid family and medical leave for any employee whose child is receiving inpatient care in a NICU unit effective January 1, 2026.
- Minnesota changed its meal and rest break requirements, effective January 2, 2026, to allow employees a rest break of at least 15 minutes or enough time to use the nearest convenient restrooms, whichever is longer, within every four consecutive hours of work.
- Effective January 1, 2026, the state of Washington amended its Leave for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking to provide time off and safety accommodations to employees who are victims of a hate crime or have a family member who is a victim.
- Effective February 22, 2026, New York City expanded the benefits employees receive under its Earned Sage and Sick Time Act, including additional leave time and new leave uses.
Canada
- Effective January 1, 2026, amendments to the Saskatchewan Employment Act will extend various leave provisions, allow employers to use a calendar day rather than a 24-consecutive hour period to determine scheduling and overtime provisions and limit the circumstances when employers can request sick notes from workers.
- A new Long-Term Illness Leave came into force in Ontario on June 10, 2025. This leave provides eligible employees with unpaid, job-protected leave of up to 27 weeks in a 52-week period due to serious medical conditions.
- In Ontario, Placement of a Child Leave is a new unpaid leave of up to 16 weeks for employees who have worked for their employer for at least 13 weeks. This leave is for placement or arrival of a child into the employee’s care through adoption or surrogacy and will take effect upon proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor.
Closing thoughts
In 2026, employers should expect continued growth in types of paid leave, workplace compliance protections relating to pregnancy and neonatal intensive care leaves and amended sick leave and injury-related leave laws. They should also plan for continued fine tuning of wage and hour rules favorable to workers. In short, workplaces will prioritize employee well-being, focus on flexible work schedules and provide other personal benefits within a supporting environment.
The full 2026 report covers monthly updates and insights from the past year to help North American employers better understand some of 2025’s most significant compliance changes and requirements and to help plan successful 2026 workplace strategies. Remember, those who are best prepared for these changes and properly adapt to them will be best positioned for meeting employee expectations and achieving operational success.
Read The current state of North American workplace compliance: 2026 report and successfully navigate workplace compliance changes in 2026.
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