The New York City Council has proposed an amendment to the City’s administrative code which would require private businesses in New York City to provide paid sick leave to their employees.
The new law would require that employers provide employees with one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked. Employers would not have to provide more than 72 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year, while the number of paid sick leave hours per calendar year for employees of “small businesses” (those with less than 10 employees) would be capped at 40.
Under the proposed law, employees would not be eligible to take paid sick leave during the first 90 days of employment, and employers would not be required to “pay out” employees for accrued but unused paid sick leave upon termination.
Updated Employer Guidance for the Fall Flu Season
Recently, the Center for Disease Control released new guidance recommending actions that employers should take to decrease the spread of both seasonal flu and H1N1 “Swine Flu” in the workplace. This guidance can be found at www.pandemicflu.gov/professional/business/, along with a “Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers.” This helpful toolkit includes fact sheets, workplace posters, and various e-mail, letter and text message templates designed to assist businesses in communicating with employees.