Paid Sick Leave Is Now Legal In New York City

New York City now has a law that requires businesses to offer paid sick leave to their workers.  The law was passed on Thursday, June 27, 2013 that overrode the veto of May or Michael Bloomberg.

The law goes into effect starting in 2014 as follows:

1.  April 1, 2014: All employers that employ 20 or more employees must comply

2. October 1, 2015: All employers that employ 15 to 19 employees or a domestic worker must comply

3. April 1, 2014:  All  other businesses must comply

Employers could be faced with penalties for non-compliance that includes:

1.  Fined up to three times the wages that should have been paid or $250 (whichever is greater) for not compensating employees who take sick leave.

2.  Fined up to $500 for placing conditions on employee taking sick leave

3. Fined $500 plus equitable relief for retaliating against employees who take sick leave

4.  Fined full compensation including wages and benefits lost, $2,500 and equitable relief, including reinstatement, as appropriate for each instance of unlawful discharge from employment due to an employee taking sick leave

5.  Fines of up to $1,000 payable to the city for violating any provisions of the law

New York joins Portland, Ore.; San Francisco; Seattle; Washington, D.C.; and the state of Connecticut in requiring the benefit for some workers.

Sources:
NY City Ordnance

By Owen Daniels