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The 2021 New York State Budget, which passed on Thursday, April 2, 2020 contains key protections for employees in New York State. Significantly, New York State now requires paid sick leave for employees, who will accrue one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Specifically:
- Businesses with five to 99 employees must provide at least five days (40 hours) of job-protected paid sick leave per year.
- Businesses with 100 employees or more must provide at least seven days (56 hours) of paid sick leave per year.
- Smaller businesses, with four or fewer employees, must provide five days of job-protected unpaid sick leave every year. However, companies with four or fewer workers that reported a net income of $1 million or less in the prior tax year will be exempt.
Especially in light of the crisis regarding coronavirus, where we all see the dangers of sick employees coming to work, it is important for New York to officially recognize that employees must be permitted to call out sick without fear of losing their jobs.