Sick leave law in the United States is protected for employees via the Family and Medical Leave Act, which among other things, protects a workers' right to leave work for an extended period to care for themselves, a child, a parent, or their spouse in light of injury or illness. Typically, this leave is unpaid leave, which means workers must support themselves during this period, although their job remains secure for a twelve-week period. Many companies also offer paid sick leave for workers, which varies greatly from company to company. Many cities throughout the United States, however, have codified paid sick leave accrual policies into law, thus, forcing employers to comply with these terms for all covered and eligible workers.