NYC's Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law

*Important Updates Due to COVID-19*

UPDATED! COVID-19 and Paid Sick Leave. Workers who have COVID-19 or were in contact with someone with COVID-19 can get sick leave (time off) regardless of immigration status. State and local laws let workers take time off to care for themselves or a family member.

SPECIAL LEAVE FOR THE COVID-19 VACCINE. Workers get additional leave under CITY law to get their kids vaccinated. Workers get 4 additional hours of sick leave for EACH child; and EACH vaccine injection.

Employers cannot mistreat or punish workers for using or asking for sick leave. Download a summary of the paid sick leave laws in English (PDF, December 2021).

Other Languages (PDF, June 2021): Español (Spanish) | shqip (Albanian) | العربية (Arabic) | বাংলা (Bengali) | 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified) | 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional) | Français (French) | Kreyòl Ayisyen (Haitian Creole) | हिन्दी (Hindi) | 한국어 (Korean) | Język Polski (Polish) | Русский (Russian) | ردو (Urdu)
Note: Update to PDFs in other languages coming soon.

Overview of NYC’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law

Under NYC’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law, covered employees have the right to use safe and sick leave for the care and treatment of themselves or a family member and to seek legal and social services assistance or take other safety measures if the employee or a family member may be the victim of any act or threat of domestic violence or unwanted sexual contact, stalking, or human trafficking. Employer responsibilities include:

• Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid leave each calendar year.
• Employers with 5 to 99 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid leave each calendar year.
• Employers with four or fewer employees and a net income of $1 million or more must provide up to 40 hours of paid leave each calendar year.
• Employers with four or fewer employees and a net income of less than $1 million must provide up to 40 hours of unpaid leave each calendar year.
• Employers with 1 or more domestic workers must provide up to 40 hours of paid leave each calendar year; employers with 100 or more domestic workers must provide up to 56 hours of paid leave each calendar year.
• Employers must allow employees to use safe and sick leave as it is accrued, with no waiting period for new hires.
• Employees can use safe and sick leave for unexpected reasons without giving advance notice.
• Employers must provide employees with a written safe and sick leave policy that describes the benefit and how to use it.
• Employers can require documentation only when employees use more than three workdays in a row of safe and sick leave, if the documentation requirement is explained in the employer’s written policy.
• Employers must inform employees of their accrued, used, and total leave balances on a paystub or through an employee-accessible electronic system.

Law, Rules, and FAQs

Download the Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law/Rules packet. (10/2020)

Read Rules for Safe and Sick Leave Policies. (10/2021)

Read Paid Safe and Sick Leave: Frequently Asked Questions. (11/2020)

Information for Employers and Employees

Under New York City's Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law), certain employers must give their employees safe and sick leave. Click below to learn more.