Civil Law

In recent years workplace leave policies and related legal frameworks have expanded to address a broader range of employee needs, including bereavement, pregnancy loss and paid family leave.

Against this backdrop, legislators also are increasingly recognizing the personal and emotional significance of companion animals. As that recognition continues to expand, employers may be seeing early signs of a broader legal shift extending into the workplace, reflected in emerging proposals for pet care and pet bereavement leave laws.

As of the 2025–2026 legislative cycle, several states have introduced bills addressing pet-related leave, though none has yet been enacted into law. For example:

• In Missouri, House Bill 3207 would require employers to provide bereavement leave following the death of an employee’s pet, including a limited paid component.

• In Illinois, Senate Bill 1670 would amend the Illinois’ Family Bereavement Leave Act to include “covered companion animals,” providing unpaid leave for pet loss.

• New York lawmakers have proposed expanding existing leave framework with Assembly Bill A.791 which would allow employees to use paid sick leave to care for a companion or service animal, integrating pet-related needs into the state’s existing sick leave law.

Prior Attempts to Introduce Pet Leave at the State and Local Level

Although none of these bills have been enacted, they build on earlier legislative efforts and reflect growing attention to pet-related leave across jurisdictions. For example, in Maryland, a 2020 bill, Senate Bill 260, would have allowed employees to use paid bereavement leave following the death of a pet. The legislation ultimately did not advance out of committee.

At the local level, New York City previously introduced Int. 1089-2024, which would have amended the city’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act to permit employees to use accrued paid sick leave for the care of a companion or service animal. Although not enacted, the proposal reflected attempts to incorporate pet-related needs into existing leave structures rather than creating a separate category of leave.

Emerging Employer Policies

Even in the absence of legal mandates, some employers already have begun to recognize employees’ pet-related needs in their leave policies. A growing number of companies offer flexible time off or limited periods of “pawternity” leave following the adoption or loss of a pet, often as part of broader employee wellness and benefit initiatives.

Although these policies may not be typical workplace benefit offerings, they reflect evolving employee expectations that could inform future legal developments.

Key Legal and Policy Questions

At present, no U.S. state requires private employers to provide pet bereavement or illness leave, and the current landscape remains fragmented and largely experimental. However, as employee expectations evolve and legislative interest continues to grow, pet-related leave may shift from informal requests to a more structured workplace issue — prompting employers to assess their policies and determine how best to respond.

In evaluating whether and how to address pet-related leave, employers may wish to consider several key issues, including:

• Paid vs. unpaid leave: Whether leave should be unpaid, partially paid or incorporated into existing paid leave policies. Current legislative proposals range from fully unpaid leave to limited paid benefits or integration into existing paid sick leave.

• Definition of a “pet”: How a “pet” is defined for eligibility purposes.

• Scope of Coverage: Which circumstances qualify for leave, such as illness, bereavement, adoption or emergencies.

As these issues continue to develop, employers may benefit from proactively evaluating their approach to pet-related leave and aligning policies with broader workforce expectations and operational needs.

If you are an employer considering adopting or revising pet-related leave policies, contact Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP for guidance.

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