Press Release
The New York Statewide Paid Leave Coalition
Press Contacts:
Jeff Maclin, Community Service Society of NY, 212-614-5538; jmaclin@cssny.org
Sherry Liewant, A Better Balance, 917-536-0075; sleiwant@abetterbalance.org
Lisa Zucker, NYCLU, 917 733 6344; lzucker@nyclu.org
Blue Carreker, Citizen Action of NY, 518-466-8500; bcarreker@citizenactionny.org
Marrisa Senteno, NDWA (917) 412-1810; Marrisa@domesticworkers.org
Press Statement
The New York State 2020 budget, passed yesterday, contains a permanent Paid Sick Days policy that will ensure that the vast majority of workers in New York State will have the right to earn and use at least 40 hours a year of paid sick time each year. This policy, combined with the earlier Emergency Paid Sick Days legislation, provides ongoing and essential economic security for working families and will move us closer to a day when no worker needs to fear the loss of income or a job, simply for taking time to care for themselves or a loved one.
The New York Statewide Paid Leave Coalition represents over 60 statewide and regional organizations who have been working for over a decade to win paid family and medical leave benefits for all New York workers and their families. We thank Governor Cuomo for championing this policy in his State of the State address and Executive Budget; and for working with our Coalition leadership on strong and inclusive language. We thank Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, as well as other legislative champions, for working with the Governor to ensure this policy’s passage. We look forward to working with the Department of Labor on the details of regulation and enforcement.
Blue Carreker, Statewide Facilitator for the Coalition and Citizen Action Worker and Gender Justice Campaigns Manager, expressed appreciation for the Governor’s attention to coalition concerns in developing the policy language, and commended the NY Statewide Paid Leave Coalition’s many individual and organizational members for the long and hard work to reach this day. "The current pandemic has made painfully obvious the need for a paid sick leave standard for all workers, and dashed the feeble excuses of those corporate interests who prevented earlier passage. This is an important step forward in the battle for worker's rights and a demonstration of the power of collective advocacy."
“Today it's the deadly coronavirus, but next winter it will be the flu, another measles outbreak or a new public health threat. It's never been more clear: all workers need to be able to stay home when sick and keep sick kids home from school," said Nancy Rankin, Vice President for Policy Research and Advocacy for the Community Service Society, an anti-poverty group that has helped lead the fight for paid sick days in New York. "But all too often, it was low-wage workers, who could least afford to risk losing their paychecks, who lacked even a single paid sick day. We commend Governor Cuomo, who proposed the new statewide law requiring employers to provide sick leave and our legislature who passed it, for looking beyond the immediate crisis and taking this far-reaching action that will protect the economic security of workers and the future health of all New Yorkers."
“A Better Balance applauds the Governor and the legislature for passing statewide paid sick leave for all New Yorkers, said Sherry Leiwant, President and Co-Founder of A Better Balance. “In this time of medical crisis it is clearer than ever that workers must have the paid time they need to care for themselves and their families when sick or in need of care. That need will still be there when this pandemic is over and we are grateful that New York's workers will have that time. Congratulations to everyone who worked so tirelessly to make this happen."
“This is an important step, and we’re proud to stand with the New York Statewide Paid Leave Coalition and celebrate the passage of this legislation. New Yorkers are healthier and safer when every worker can take time off to care for themselves or their loved ones, whether during a public health emergency or for personal health reasons,” stated Lisa Zucker, Attorney with the New York Civil Liberties Union. “The current health crisis makes clear what our workers and communities need, and just how much we rely on them. Paid sick leave and job security are not perks, our lives depend on them. We’ve gone too long without securing these protections for all New York workers. We need to continue to build on this success by expanding paid sick coverage for gig workers, domestic workers and others who are some of the most vulnerable in our economy."
According to Allegra L. Fishel, Founder and Executive Director, Gender Equality Law Center, “The Gender Equality Law Center applauds New York State for passing its first State-wide Paid Sick leave law. Unlike the emergency provisions passed in March, these laws will provide on an ongoing basis, job protection and pay to millions of working adults in New York who need to take time off because they are sick or need to attend to an urgent family matter. In passing this legislation New York has taken an important step toward ensuring economic protections for workers. We are particularly grateful that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the crises thrust upon New York State that its legislators and the Governor are looking out for the long term welfare of working adults in this State”
“The coronavirus crisis has exposed the obvious fact that workers need paid sick time to protect their own health and the well-being of the larger community, noted Beverly Neufeld, President, PowHer New York. “Painfully aware of this imperative, New York passed emergency sick leave legislation last month and extended that to a permanent policy today. We are proud of the wisdom and tenacity shown by Governor Cuomo and our legislative leaders for taking this decisive, necessary action. Without a government mandate, even during a pandemic, many companies will not offer this essential workplace protection. Indeed, right now it is shocking that many of the largest U.S. corporations in the service and food industries have yet to do so because it is not required by recent limited federal legislation. Today, New York is sending a clear message that paid sick leave is good for workers and good for our state. All American workers deserve the same."
Marrisa Senteno, New York Co-Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, noted “At the National Domestic Workers Alliance we applaud the passage of the Paid Sick Leave and see that when workers need to have the protection to take a day off from work to be ill or care for a sick loved one, they can have the security of being able to return to work the next day. While not perfect, it is a large step in the right direction and we at NDWA will continue advocating that all domestic workers can rely on having paid sick time. We appreciate the exhaustive efforts of the Paid Sick Leave Coalition for making paid sick days a reality. While our state is on PAUSE and so many have fallen ill to Covid-19 we are reminded what it means to care for all the workers of New York State and paid sick leave will allow for that critical right to continue.”
"With the passage of permanent paid sick leave, New York State is continuing its proud tradition of standing up for workers and protecting those most vulnerable in our community. We applaud Governor Cuomo for his leadership. Now more than ever, we need to lead the way on workers’ rights and strengthening our social safety net,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
"New York's statewide paid sick leave law will give more working people the basic right to take time off if they are sick, without fear of losing their income or their job. Now more than ever, we must ensure all workers -- especially low wage service workers on the front lines of the Coronavirus pandemic -- have access to protections like these. We thank the Governor and State Legislature for taking action to support working people across the state now and in the long term," said Kyle Bragg, President of SEIU 32BJ.
The New York Paid Sick Days policy will ensure that most workers will be able to earn and use at least five job protected paid sick days per year to care for themselves or their family members. The amount of paid sick leave available will vary according to business size. Workers can start to accrue paid sick time 180 days from today, and can begin to use that time on January 1, 2021. New York City’s law will not be pre-empted, and the City will continue its own enforcement. Westchester County law will be replaced by the state law. Paid sick days, under the law, can also be used to seek services in response to domestic abuse, sexual assault or sex trafficking, experienced by the worker or a worker’s family member. The Coalition will continue to advocate for the extension of these benefits to all domestic workers and undocumented persons, as well as to those working in businesses that employ less than five employees.