Alaska
Verified February 2026Alaska Human Rights Law
Alaska Stat. §§ 18.80.010–18.80.300
Alaska does not have a state-level family or medical leave law that supplements the federal FMLA. For most employees in Alaska, the right to unpaid, job-protected leave for serious health conditions or caregiving relies entirely on the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). To qualify, you generally must work for an employer with 50+ employees and have worked there for at least 12 months.
However, Alaska workers benefit from unusually broad anti-discrimination protections under the Alaska Human Rights Law, codified in Alaska Statutes Title 18, Chapter 80. Unlike many states that only cover employers with 15 or more employees, Alaska’s law applies to all employers with one or more employees. This means virtually every worker in the state is protected from discrimination based on disability, including mental health conditions. The Alaska State Commission for Human Rights (ASCHR) enforces these protections and investigates complaints of workplace discrimination.
A significant development for Alaska workers is Ballot Measure 1 (2024), which creates a paid sick leave mandate beginning July 2025. Under this new law, employers with 15 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per year, while employers with fewer than 15 employees must provide up to 40 hours per year. Employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. This leave can be used for the employee’s own illness, to care for a family member, or for reasons related to domestic violence or sexual assault.
Even without a comprehensive state leave law, Alaska workers have meaningful protections through the combination of federal FMLA, the ADA, Alaska’s broad anti-discrimination law covering all employers, and the new paid sick leave mandate. Understanding which protections apply depends on your employer’s size, your length of employment, and the nature of your condition.
Employer Size
1+ employees
Leave Duration
N/A (no state leave law)
Paid Leave
Unpaid (job-protected)
Leave: Alaska does not have a state family or medical leave law. Federal FMLA is the primary source of job-protected leave. A new paid sick leave law (Ballot Measure 1, 2024) takes effect July 2025.
Anti-Discrimination: The Alaska Human Rights Law covers all employers with 1 or more employees, far broader than the federal ADA threshold of 15 employees.
Additional Protections
Alaska Paid Sick Leave (Ballot Measure 1, 2024)
Beginning July 2025, employers with 15+ employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per year. Employers with fewer than 15 employees must provide up to 40 hours per year. Leave accrues at 1 hour per 30 hours worked and can be used for personal illness, family care, or domestic violence-related reasons.
Alaska Ballot Measure 1 (2024)
Alaska Workers’ Compensation
Covers workplace injuries including mental health conditions arising from employment. Alaska requires most employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Mental stress claims generally require a physical injury or extraordinary workplace stress.
Alaska Stat. §§ 23.30.010–23.30.395
1. Request FMLA Leave (Federal)
Since Alaska has no state leave law, eligible employees follow federal FMLA procedures:
- Notify your employer at least 30 days in advance for foreseeable leave.
- If leave is unforeseeable, notify as soon as possible (usually same or next business day).
- Follow your employer’s usual notice procedures for requesting leave.
- Provide medical certification if requested (usually within 15 days).
2. File a Disability Discrimination Complaint
- Verify the incident is within 300 days (Alaska’s Human Rights Law covers all employers with 1+ employees).
- File a complaint with the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights online, by mail, or in person.
- ASCHR will investigate and attempt to resolve the complaint through conciliation.
- If conciliation fails, the case may proceed to a public hearing before the commission.
Note: Filing with ASCHR can also cross-file with the federal EEOC through a work-sharing agreement.
Important Deadlines
- 30 days - FMLA advance notice for foreseeable leave
- 300 days - Deadline to file a discrimination complaint with the Alaska State Commission for Human Rights
- 300 days - Deadline to file with the federal EEOC (extended because ASCHR exists as a local agency)
- 30 days - Workers’ comp injury must be reported to employer
- 2 years - Statute of limitations for workers’ compensation claims in Alaska
Official Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
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