New York City’s Expanded Safe And Sick Leave Bill Becomes Law – Employee Rights/ Labour Relations

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New York employers must prepare to revise their sick and safe leave policies in the new year. As described in our recent advisory, the New York City Council approved a bill that broadens entitlements…

United States
New York
Employment and HR

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New York employers must prepare to revise their sick and safe
leave policies in the new year. As described in our recent advisory, the New York City Council approved a
bill that broadens entitlements under the
city’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act (“ESSTA”). The
bill became law (the “Law”) on October 25, 2025, after
Mayor Eric Adams returned the bill unsigned and will go into effect
on February 22, 2026.

Along with providing additional reasons for the use of ESSTA
leave, the Law requires employers to provide employees with an
additional 32 hours of unpaid sick/safe time upon hire and on the
first day of each calendar year. Additionally, the Law consolidates
ESSTA coverage with an employee’s rights under the NYC
Temporary Schedule Change Act (“TSCA”). Since leave for
“personal events” is now covered under ESSTA, the TSCA
will be eliminated. Finally, the Law includes a statutory
entitlement to paid parental leave as an element of ESSTA, which
provides 20 hours of leave in addition to the paid sick and safe
time to which an employee is already entitled (see our prior advisory on paid parental leave).

To be ready to comply with the new Law by February 22, 2026, New
York City employers should:

Review and update their leave policies to reflect the new
requirements, particularly the separate bank of unpaid sick and
safe time.

Remove any policies related to the TSCA.

Train managers on the new law so that they may be able to
handle requests by employees for leave.

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guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
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