sick leave

noun

1

: an absence from work permitted because of illness

2

: the number of days per year for which an employer agrees to pay employees who are sick

Examples of sick leave in a Sentence

employee benefits such as vacation time and sick leave

We are allotted three weeks annual sick leave.

He's been on sick leave since last Thursday.

Recent Examples on the Web

Instead, employers would be able to ask for a doctor's certificate from the first day a person is on sick leave. — ABC News, 2 July 2026

The complainant, a manager who joined the museum in 2024 and who has since gone on sick leave, more generally complained of psychological harassment from management in the same filing. — News Desk, Artforum, 2 July 2026

Germans, Merz believes, enjoy too many sick days and has challenged the right of workers to obtain sick leave from doctors over the telephone. — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 1 July 2026

Employees will not be able to use sick leave, vacation time or comp time. — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sick leave

• achieve
• believe
• conceive
• deceive
• naive
• perceive
• receive
• relieve
• reprieve
• retrieve
• breve
• cleave

Medical Definition

sick leave

noun

1

: an absence from work permitted because of illness

2

: the number of days per year for which an employer agrees to pay employees who are sick