South Carolina Paid Leave Local Mandates Preempted Statewide

Under Section 6-1-130 and related employment preemption provisions, counties and municipalities cannot require private employers to provide paid sick leave, paid family leave, or other employee benefit mandates that exceed federal or state law. South Carolina does not impose a statewide paid leave mandate, leaving benefits to private employer discretion or federal programs such as FMLA unpaid leave. Public employers retain authority to adopt internal paid leave policies for their own workforce. Voluntary employer paid leave programs are encouraged but not legally compelled at the local level.

Local paid leave mandates on private employers are void; preemption challenges may be brought in state court.