sick leave

noun

1
: an absence from work permitted because of illness
2
: the number of days per year for which an employer agrees to pay employees who are sick

Examples of sick leave in a Sentence

employee benefits such as vacation time and sick leave We are allotted three weeks annual sick leave. He's been on sick leave since last Thursday.
Recent Examples on the Web Regardless of what happens at the top of the ticket, paid sick leave and related initiatives have strong popular support, and could make a big difference for workers. Monica Potts, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2024 People are going on sick leave, and more are staying on sick leave for longer. Shawn Tully, Fortune Europe, 10 Oct. 2024 The union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said Tuesday that Boeing refused to improve wages, retirement plans and vacation or sick leave. Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 9 Oct. 2024 With Americans devoting extra time to caring for loved ones, benefits such as health insurance, paid leave and extensive sick leave can be a deal breaker for working professionals. Michael Timmes, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sick leave 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sick leave.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sick leave was in 1820

Dictionary Entries Near sick leave

Cite this Entry

“Sick leave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sick%20leave. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

sick leave

noun
1
: an absence from work permitted because of illness
2
: the number of days per year for which an employer agrees to pay employees who are sick

More from Merriam-Webster on sick leave

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!