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
The agreement the hospital ultimately reached with physicians boosted pay, expanded sick leave and included a commitment to change staffing models.
—
Patrick Aguilar, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Its neighbor, France, is also suffering under the highest-ever levels of sick leave; Les Echos reports that for the first six months of 2024, the cost of French workers taking sick leave increased by 8.5% compared to 2023.
—Alex Ledsom, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
This might include paid sick leave, overtime pay, health benefits, vacation or workers’ compensation.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 4 Sep. 2025
Worker protection policies could include things like paid pumping breaks for breastfeeding workers, mandates for equal pay, paid family and medical leave and paid sick leave.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sick leave
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Patrick Aguilar, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2025
Its neighbor, France, is also suffering under the highest-ever levels of sick leave; Les Echos reports that for the first six months of 2024, the cost of French workers taking sick leave increased by 8.5% compared to 2023.
—Alex Ledsom, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
This might include paid sick leave, overtime pay, health benefits, vacation or workers’ compensation.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 4 Sep. 2025
Worker protection policies could include things like paid pumping breaks for breastfeeding workers, mandates for equal pay, paid family and medical leave and paid sick leave.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sick leave
Cite this Entry
“Sick leave.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sick%20leave. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share