New York City has amended the New York City Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (“ESSTA”) expanding its leave entitlements to employees. The amendments go into effect on February 22, 2026. The amendments include the following changes: (i) employers must grant an additional 32 hours of unpaid leave to new employees upon hire and to all employees … Read more
The New York State Legislature and Governor Hochul have amended Sections 519 and 521 of the New York Judiciary Law, to increase the daily rate of pay for jury duty in New York State, from $40 to $72. This amendment was enacted through the fiscal year 2025-2026 New York State Budget, which was signed into … Read more
As a reminder, the New York State COVID-19 paid sick leave law, also known as COVID-19 Paid Emergency Leave, is set to expire on July 31, 2025. Beginning July 31, 2025, New York employers will no longer be required to provide separate leave for COVID-19 quarantines and isolations. After this date, employees may still use regular … Read more
On June 3, 2025, New York City enacted the amended Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (“ESSTA”) Rules that incorporate New York State’s paid prenatal leave requirements. The amendments will become effective on July 2, 2025. With the new amendments in place, the ESSTA will more closely align with the New York State Paid Prenatal … Read more
Coordinating employee leaves under the various leave laws can prove to be a challenge for employers. To ensure compliance, employers should familiarize themselves with the requirements for all applicable leave laws and establish policies and procedures for handling employee leave requests. Importantly, employers should administer those policies and procedures in a consistent and nondiscriminatory manner, in … Read more
Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill that expands New York State’s Paid Family Leave legislation to allow caring for siblings. Paid Family Leave has been in effect since 2018 and is employee-paid insurance that provides paid time off to care for a newborn, bond with adopted or foster children, care for a family member with … Read more