NYS updates COVID sick leave guidance

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The New York State Department of Labor (DOL) has updated its guidance on COVID-19 paid sick leave. According to the Capital Region Chamber of Commerce, the update should provide some relief for employers.

The DOL has limited the number of times an employee is eligible for COVID sick leave. Under New York’s COVID-19 sick leave law, a employee cannot qualify for leave more than three times.

“In no event shall an employee qualify for sick leave under New York’s COVID-19 sick leave law for more than three orders of quarantine or isolation. The second and third orders must be based on a positive COVID-19 test and the employee must submit documentation from a licensed medical provider or testing facility attesting that the employee has tested positive for COVID-19,” said DOL.

The employee doesn’t need to submit documentation of a positive result if the employee’s employer administered the test, according to the DOL.

All COVID paid sick leave guidance, including frequently asked questions, can be found on the New York State website.