Tennessee bars local governments from mandating paid sick or family leave on private employers under T.C.A. 50-2-112, leaving leave decisions to employer discretion.
T.C.A. 50-2-112 prohibits local governments from imposing employee benefit mandates beyond state or federal requirements. This preemption explicitly covers paid sick leave, paid family leave, vacation accrual, and similar benefits. Tennessee does not require private employers to provide paid sick leave; federal Family and Medical Leave Act standards apply only to unpaid leave at qualifying employers. Cities cannot adopt paid leave ordinances such as those enacted in other states. Local governments may still offer paid leave to their own public employees.
Local paid leave mandates are unenforceable, and private employers can challenge them in court for declaratory and injunctive relief.
See how Columbia's paid leave preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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