May 9, 2024

New York State Covid Sick Leave Law Will Expire July 31, 2025

Since March 2020, employers in New York State have been required to provide 5 or 14 days of paid leave to employees who cannot work because they must quarantine due to Covid-19.  Such paid leave is in addition to the sick leave that employers must provide employees under New York State’s sick leave law, NYS Labor Law § 196-b.

Governor Hochul, in her proposed budget, had suggested ending the Covid-19 leave law as of July 2024.  Last month, the state legislature voted to end Covid-19 paid leave law as of July 31, 2025.

Meanwhile, due a change in quarantine guidelines for Covid-19, few employees are eligible for the full benefits of the Covid-19 leave law.

Under guidelines issued in March 2024 by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), employees are no longer required to quarantine for 5 days after a positive test for Covid-19.  Rather, the CDC now recommends that people with Covid-19 stay home and away from others only until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours and their symptoms have improved.

New York State follows the recommendations of the CDC regarding Covid-19.  As a result, many if not most employees with Covid-19 are not required to quarantine and are not eligible for paid Covid-19 quarantine leave.  Regardless, employers in New York State should remind their supervisors and managers that the Covid-19 leave law is still in effect.