Changes To NYC Employee Leave And Scheduling Laws Now In Effect

New York City Council has amended two important New York City employment laws: the Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (“ESSTA”) and the Temporary Schedule Change Law (“TSCL”). The changes grant employees an additional 32 hours of unpaid leave, expand the permissible uses for such leave, and eliminate employers’ obligation to grant twice-annual temporary schedule changes. Employers should closely review their policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the expanded laws.

Additional Unpaid Leave

Currently, ESSTA requires employers to provide safe and sick leave to employees working in New York City. Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year. Employers that have between 5 and 99 employees, one (1) or more domestic workers, or an annual net income of at least one million dollars ($1,000,000) must provide up to forty (40) hours of annual paid leave. Employers with four (4) or fewer employees must provide up to forty (40) hours