Utah — Leave Laws

Utah law does not require private-sector employers to provide paid or unpaid family or medical leave. The state's sole statutory leave entitlement, Utah Code § 63A-17-511, provides paid parental leave and paid postpartum recovery leave exclusively to eligible state government employees; that statute expressly limits coverage to employees in positions that receive state retirement benefits and accrue paid leave under state employment rules. Private employers and their employees have no parallel entitlement under Utah law.

Source: Utah Code § 63A-17-511

Utah Code § 34A-5-106(1)(g) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related conditions unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer's operations. Reasonable accommodations may include leave when medically advisable, though the statute does not mandate leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided. The employer may require certification from the employee's health care provider for accommodations other than more frequent restroom, food, or water breaks. Employers must provide written notice of these rights either in a conspicuous place at the worksite or in an employee handbook.

Source: Utah Code § 34A-5-106

Utah Code § 78B-1-116 prohibits employers from depriving an employee of employment, threatening or taking any adverse employment action, or otherwise coercing the employee regarding employment because the employee receives a summons, responds to it, serves as a juror or grand juror, or attends court for prospective jury or grand jury service. The statute applies to all employers in Utah with no minimum-employee threshold; it covers all phases of jury service from receiving a summons through actual service.

Prohibition on requiring paid time off. Under § 78B-1-116(2), an employee may not be required or requested to use annual, vacation, or sick leave for time spent responding to a summons for jury duty, time spent participating in the jury selection process, or for time spent actually serving on a jury. The prohibition bars employers from mandating or requesting the use of accrued leave; it does not address whether an employee may voluntarily elect to use accrued leave. The provision does not require employers to provide paid leave to employees who are not otherwise entitled to those benefits under company policies. Employers are not required to pay wages during jury duty unless their own policies provide for such payment.

Criminal penalties under § 78B-1-116(3). Any employer who violates the statute is guilty of criminal contempt and upon conviction may be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

Civil remedies under § 78B-1-116(4). If an employer discharges an employee in violation of the statute, the employee within 30 days of the discharge may bring a civil action for recovery of wages lost as a result of the violation and for an order requiring the reinstatement of the employee. Damages recoverable may not exceed lost wages for six weeks. If the employee prevails, the employee is allowed reasonable attorney fees fixed by the court.

The statute establishes clear protections at all stages of jury service, from the initial summons through selection and actual service, and provides both criminal and civil enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance. Employers may not penalize employees for civic participation in the jury system, but they are also not required to provide paid leave beyond what their existing policies already grant.

Source: Utah Code § 78B-1-116