Mississippi Local Paid Leave Mandate Preemption

Miss. Code Section 17-1-51 expressly bars Mississippi political subdivisions from requiring private employers to provide paid or unpaid leave, vacation time, sick time, or other fringe benefits beyond what state or federal law mandates. As Mississippi has no state-level paid sick or family leave law, employer leave practices are governed primarily by federal statutes such as the Family and Medical Leave Act and voluntary employer policies. The preemption framework extends beyond minimum wage into the broader category of compensation, benefits, and leave, ensuring uniform treatment for employers operating across multiple Mississippi jurisdictions and preventing patchwork local employment standards.

Local paid leave ordinances are void and unenforceable; affected employers can challenge them as preempted.