Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 13706: Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal Contractors

President: Barack Obama

Requires covered federal contractors to provide employees up to 56 hours of paid sick leave each year.

Status: In effect.

Is Executive Order 13706 still in effect? Yes. Active and enforced through 29 CFR part 13 for covered contracts; Labor reported enforcement in fiscal 2025.

What does Executive Order 13706 do?

EO 13706 requires workers on or connected with specified federal contracts to accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours annually, or receive the equivalent front-loaded amount. Leave can cover illness, care, preventive treatment and needs related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. Labor’s Wage and Hour Division implements the order through 29 CFR part 13 and continues enforcement.

Administration position: Coverage is limited by contract and employee definitions; the order is not a nationwide paid-leave law for every private employer.
SignedSeptember 7, 2015
Annual amountUp to 56 hours
Accrual1 hour per 30 hours worked

Before and after

Before the order

Federal contract labor standards did not generally guarantee this paid sick leave.

After the order

Covered solicitations and contracts included a leave clause backed by Labor enforcement.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
ContractorsAccrue provide track and protect leaveContinuing
Contracting agenciesInsert clauses and assist enforcementContinuing
Labor Wage and Hour DivisionInvestigate order relief and debarment where warrantedContinuing

What happened next

EO 13706 was signed.

Labor issued the final rule.

Coverage began for qualifying new contracts.