COVID-19 Sick Pay in New York State Ends

More than five years after the COVID-19 pandemic first shut down New York, the state is officially ending its requirement for employers to provide paid sick leave related to the virus. As of Thursday, July 31, 2025, employers will no longer be required to provide COVID-specific sick time to employees. Since March 2020, New York employers have been required to provide sick time above and beyond what is required under the state’s paid sick leave law for employees who are under a mandatory order of quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19. The policy guaranteed five to 14 days of job-protected paid leave to workers required to isolate due to the virus.

Under a provision of last year’s NYS Budget, this COVID-19 sick pay requirement has now sunset. Employees may still be entitled to use sick time available to them under the NYS paid sick leave laws and will also be eligible to apply for NYS Paid Family Leave to care for a covered family member for COVID-related reasons if the family member’s condition meets the definition of serious health condition. For more details, check out - https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/COVID19.