ALBANY, N.Y. (WKBW) — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation Thursday that prohibits public employers from penalizing employees for COVID-19 related absences.
Public employers cannot penalize an employee if they need to use sick leave or compensatory time to quarantine, seek medical treatment or for any other COVID-19 related absence.
"From the beginning of this national public health crisis, we have done everything possible to protect those New Yorkers who needed to make sacrifices in order to cope with the hardships of COVID," Governor Cuomo said. "No one should have to suffer a penalty for missing work because of COVID, and under this new law, every public employee in our state will get the protection they deserve - so they don't have to face unfair consequences for doing what was necessary to protect themselves and their loved ones."
The state says this builds on other COVID-19 related employee protections previously signed into law by the governor which includes guaranteed paid leave for those under mandatory or precautionary quarantine and guaranteed time off to receive the vaccine.
