The minimum wage is rising in New York, and a new sick leave law will also come into force for 2021.
New York is one of the 15 states with a paid sick leave law, and workers can use sick leave to recover from an illness, care for a sick family member, or help themselves or a family member with domestic violence, sexual assault , persecution or human trafficking.
About 1.3 million New Yorkers have no access to paid sick leave before the law, according to the government office of Andrew Cuomo, and nearly 1 in 4 workers reported being fired or threatened with termination because of illness took time.
“No one has to choose between going to work or caring for a sick loved one and not getting a salary, especially if we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said.
Employees at most businesses can use sick days that were allowed under the new law in September to start increasing at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked. Unused sick leave must be carried over to the following year.
Businesses with more than 100 employees must provide workers with up to 56 hours of paid sick leave for up to 56 hours – equivalent to seven days. It takes up to 40 hours – five days – at most businesses with five to 99 employees.
Employees at businesses with less than four employees and net income of less than $ 1 million must provide up to 40 hours of unpaid sick leave annually.
And the hourly minimum wage is now $ 14 an hour in Long Island and Westchester amid changes that took effect Wednesday. Wages in the rest of New York rose to $ 12.50, from $ 11.80.
New York began importing a minimum $ 15 minimum wage increase in 2016, and New York City reached $ 15 in 2018 and 2019.
The minimum wage will rise each year in the rest of the state until it reaches $ 15. The state’s labor commissioner will announce the next increase by October 1 at a rate based on the consumer price index.
It is unlikely that the minimum wage increases will significantly hurt the economic recovery of Long Island, Westchester and New York due to the global pandemic, according to the state commissioner of state, Roberta Reardon, in a mid-December report. The unemployment rate fell from a peak of 15.9% in April in Long Island and Westchester and 15.4% in the state, to 7.1% and 6.8% in October.
“Before this crisis, we achieved record low unemployment rates while raising the minimum wage – which improved the lives of thousands of New Yorkers – and we will rebuild our economy while continuing to lead the country in the fight for economic justice,” she said. said. This investment in our workers proves once again that we in New York believe that an honest day job deserves an honest day pay. ‘