New York Workers Still Have Right to COVID-Related Paid Leave
Emergency Paid Leave Still Mandatory
More than four years ago, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation and the world, New York legislators responding by passing the Paid Emergency Leave Act, which granted an employee up to 14 additional days of paid leave if he or she needed time off to quarantine or isolate after exposure to or a test reflecting a positive contagion with the virus. That requirement has remained in place, even though the Centers for Disease Control has expressed less concern for the safety of public health as the virus has evolved.
Under pressure from businesses who note that the CDC no longer recommends a five-day quarantine after exposure, the New York state legislature has set a repeal date for the statutory requirement. Effective July 31, 2025, your employer will no longer be required to grant paid time off to employees who have been exposed to or have contracted COVID. Until then, though, all the provisions of the law remain in place. Your employer must allow you to take paid leave to either treat your own exposure or illness, or that of a family member. The paid time off allowed is in addition to any other earned PTO, including accrued sick, vacation or personal time, as well as any unpaid time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
We Can Help Protect Your Employment Rights
At the Romero Law Group, PLLC, we handle a wide range of legal issues for employees in Nassau and Suffolk Counties; in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx; in Westchester; and across Northern New Jersey. We offer a free initial consultation to any employee with a potential employment law dispute. To schedule an appointment, contact our offices online or call us at (631)257-5588.