Tennessee TCA 50-2-204 preempts local paid sick leave and family leave mandates, blocking Knoxville from requiring private employers to provide paid time off.
Tennessee enacted TCA 50-2-204 in 2013 to preempt local governments from mandating leave benefits, vacation time, paid sick days, or paid family leave on private employers. Knoxville and Knox County cannot adopt the kind of paid sick leave ordinances seen in cities like Seattle or Philadelphia. Federal FMLA covers unpaid family leave for employers with 50 or more employees. Tennessee provides paid family leave only for state employees. Many Knoxville employers including the University of Tennessee, TVA, and major hospitals voluntarily offer paid leave benefits.
Any Knoxville paid leave ordinance against private employers would be preempted and unenforceable; employees rely on federal FMLA and voluntary benefits.
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