ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on March 17 announced a three-way agreement with the state legislature on a bill seeking to guarantee job protection and pay for New Yorkers who have been quarantined as a result of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 pandemic. The program bill also includes the permanent comprehensive paid sick-leave policy first advanced […]
ALBANY — Gov. Andrew Cuomo on March 17 announced a three-way agreement with the state legislature on a bill seeking to guarantee job protection and pay for New Yorkers who have been quarantined as a result of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 pandemic.
The program bill also includes the permanent comprehensive paid sick-leave policy first advanced in Cuomo’s fiscal year 2021 state budget proposal.
It follows Cuomo’s announcement during the prior week that the state will guarantee two full weeks of paid leave for all state workers who are subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine as a result of the novel coronavirus.
“The single most effective way to contain the spread of this virus is to ensure people who may have come into contact with it do not interact with others. [During the week of March 9,] I said we would lead by example by guaranteeing two weeks’ pay for state workers who have been quarantined as a result of COVID-19,” Cuomo said. “The paid sick leave measure we’ve agreed to today expands those protections to all New Yorkers — because no New Yorker should lose their job or income for following a critical public health order.”
The proposal will address the “immediate need” of employees affected by COVID-19 who are subject to mandatory or precautionary orders of quarantine or isolation.
For example, employers with 10 or fewer workers — and a net income less than $1 million — will have to provide job protection for the duration of the quarantine order and guarantee their workers access to paid family leave and disability benefits (short-term disability) for the period of quarantine, including wage replacement for their salaries up to $150,000, per Cuomo’s office.
Additionally, employers with between 11 and 99 employees — and employers with 10 or fewer employees and a net income greater than $1 million — will be required to provide at least 5 days of paid sick leave; job protection for the duration of the quarantine order; and guarantee their workers access to paid family leave and disability benefits (short-term disability) for the period of quarantine including wage replacement for their salaries up to $150,000.
The proposal will also have employers with 100 or more employees, as well as all public employers (regardless of number of employees), provide at least 14 days of paid sick leave and guarantee job protection for the duration of the quarantine order.
The provisions of the quarantine legislation are set to take effect immediately upon passage, “ensuring” that New York workers will be able to take advantage of these benefits. As of press time, it is not known when state lawmakers planned to approve the proposal.
“Comprehensive” paid sick leave
The proposed measure also includes the “comprehensive” paid sick leave proposal that Cuomo announced as part of his State of the State address and state budget proposal. It will be effective 180 days after enactment.
That proposed bill says that employers with four or fewer employees — and a net income less than $1 million — have to provide at least five days of unpaid sick leave each year.
It also says that companies with between five and 99 employees — and employers with four or fewer employees and a net income greater than $1 million — will provide at least five days of paid sick leave each year.
Additionally, the proposal says employers with 100 or more employees need to provide at least seven days of paid sick leave each year.
