New York City has a law called the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act, or ESSTA, which was first enacted in the year 2014. New York State Sick Leave Law, or NYSSL provides paid sick leave for an employee or for an employee who is caring for a family member who is mentally or physically ill. The original law provided for the accrual of employee sick time based upon the number of employees in a business and its net income. If you have questions about the New York City Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law, you may benefit from consulting with an experienced New York employment lawyer.
Scope of Coverage and Amount of Leave
Some of the changes made to the amended ESSTA include a change in the scope of coverage and the amount of leave required of a business. The original ESSTA applied only to those who worked in New York City for more than 80 hours in one calendar year. However, the amended law applies to all NYC employees, no matter how many hours they worked. The amended law also provides for an increased amount of paid leave for employers with 100 or more employees as well as 40 hours of paid leave for workers whose employers have four or fewer employees. The new law also states that domestic workers will now be eligible for 40 hours of paid leave as well.
Written Notices and Enforcement Guidelines
Now that the ESSTA law has been amended, employers must provide written notice of the new ESSTA rules to all employees by October 2020. This written notice must also be posted in an area of the workplace that is visible to the employees. Information about the amount of accrued paid sick leave must also be included on employee pay stubs or other written communication. Employers are also not allowed to discourage employees from using their paid sick leave by intimidating or threatening them. The new law provides for a $500 fine for employers who violate these rules.
Call to Schedule a Free Consultation With a New York Employment Lawyer Today
Personal injury and employment lawyers at Littman & Babiarz Law Office have been helping those with employment issues in central New York for over 30 years. We have Law offices in Auburn and Ithaca NY, and look forward to supporting clients throughout Lansing, Watkins Glen, Owego, Elmira and surrounding Tomkins County, Seneca County, Cayuga County, Cortland County, Schuyler County, Chemung County, Tioga County, Yates County, Onondaga County and Broome County communities. If you are facing problems related to paid sick leave at your place of employment and could use some expert legal advice, Get in touch with us online or call us at 607-277-7527 regarding your free initial consultation today.