A Victory on Paid Sick Days

Following a four-year fight, the Earned Sick Time Act became law on June 26, 2013 providing sick leave for the first time to nearly a million workers in New York City who previously lacked this basic labor standard.  Mayor Bill de Blasio went on to expand the law to provide paid sick leave to hundreds of thousands of additional workers in smaller businesses with between 5  and 15 employees.  The measure was signed into law March 19, 2014 and went into effect on April 1, 2014.  The act provides private sector workers in businesses with 5 or more employees up to 40 hours of paid sick time a year, and up to 40 hours of unpaid sick leave to those employed by smaller firms, ensuring that no worker can be fired for being sick.  The Earned Sick Time Act is a major victory for New Yorkers, especially low-wage workers already struggling to get by.

Read more about our paid sick days campaign here