Bill · S. 5280· Senate(119-S-5280)
Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act
- Introduced
- 8/6/2026
- Last activity
- 8/6/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Sponsored by
- Bernie Sanders
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 4
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Guaranteed Paid Vacation Act" requires employers to provide paid annual leave to covered employees. Employees earn one hour of paid leave for every 25 hours worked, up to a maximum of 80 hours per year. This leave can be used for any reason and must include the maintenance of employment benefits. The bill establishes strict rules for how leave is used, requested, and compensated. It also includes enforcement mechanisms through the Secretary of Labor and a private right of action for employees.
Yes· 3 of 12
Would union members be better off under this?+6
The bill strengthens the ability of workers to secure and enforce their leave benefits through legal and union channels.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+5
The mandate for paid leave provides significant financial and wellness benefits to workers in many industries.
Does this give the federal government more power?+5
The bill expands federal oversight and the authority of the Secretary of Labor over private employers.
The opposite
Would business owners be better off under this?-4
The bill imposes mandatory costs and significant administrative requirements on employers.
Does this make it easier to run a small business?-2
The bill imposes new administrative and financial obligations on employers to provide paid leave and maintain records.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Earned Leave for Workers: Covered employees will earn one hour of paid annual leave for every 25 hours they work, providing a way to take paid time off (Section 3(a)(1)).
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Flexibility of Use: Employees can use their earned paid annual leave for any reason (Section 3(b)(1)).
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Protection of Benefits: Employers must maintain any employment benefits for a worker while they are taking their paid annual leave (Section 3(b)(7)(A)).
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Job Security and Non-Discrimination: It is unlawful for an employer to fire or discriminate against an individual for exercising their rights under this Act, such as using their earned leave (Section 5(a)(2)).
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Compensation Upon Separation: If an employee is terminated, the employer must pay them for any unused earned paid annual leave (Section 3(d)(1)).
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Legal Recourse: Employees have a private right of action to recover damages, including lost wages and benefits, if their rights are violated (Section 6(a)(3)(B)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Leave Limits: An employer is not required to provide more than 80 hours of paid annual leave during any 12-month period (Section 3(a)(2)(A)).
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Restrictions on Leave Use: Employers may place "limited, reasonable restrictions" on the scheduling of leave for bona fide business reasons and may reject scheduling requests (Section 3(c)(3)(A)).
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Notice Requirements: Employees are generally required to provide notice of their intent to use leave at least one day before, but no more than 14 days before, the intended leave (Section 3(c)(2)(C)).
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Leave Expiration: Employers are not required to offer alternative times to employees if the leave they are trying to use is set to expire (Section 3(c)(3)(B)(ii)(II)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Union Workers+6Good For Low Income Households+5Good For Middle Class Households+4Good For Men+3Good For Middle Aged+3Good For Women+3Good For Young Adults+3Good For Business Owners-4
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+5Improves Due Process+4Improves Government Transparency+3
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Union Protections+5Improves Small Business Support-2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+3
- 8/6/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Christopher MurphyDemocrat · Connecticut
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California