Governor Cuomo signs modified version of a Paid Sick Time Plan for workers affected by COVID-19 in New York State. Under the law, companies cannot fire or otherwise penalize New Yorkers because they fail to show up to work while the government is recommending or mandating that people stay inside to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Cuomo said Wednesday that state lawmakers will revisit a broader paid sick leave policy at a later time, and that Wednesday's legislation is intended "to provide immediate relief to working New Yorkers whose lives are being turned upside down by COVID-19."
The details of the emergency sick leave vary depending on the size of the employer.
· Companies with at least 100 employees must fund at least 14 days of paid sick leave “during any mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation” put in place by public health officials to stem the spread of COVID-19.
· Companies with between 11 and 99 employees must fund 5 days of paid sick leave and, after that, give workers access to short-term disability benefits and paid family leave.
· Companies with 10 or fewer employees and less than $1 million in net income (some published reports state “less than $1 million in revenue) must give their workers access to paid family leave and short-term disability benefits, though they have no obligation to pay for sick leave themselves, according to the legislation. We recommend that you visit the following New York State Department of Health link for updates https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-three-way-agreement-legislature-paid-sick-leave-bill-provide-immediate.
