Paid sick leave extended to employees of small businesses in NYC
Historic law goes into effect April 1
Calling it a historic day for New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio lauded the expansion of mandatory paid sick leave after a City Council hearing on Monday, noting, “Half a million more people will have paid sick leave when they need it. Half a million more families will be protected.”
The bill, passed by the Council 46 – 5 last month, will expand paid sick time coverage to businesses that employs five or more people. A previous version, voted in only after years of foot-dragging by former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, would have covered only people who work in companies of 15 or more employees.
The expanded bill was sponsored at the request of the de Blasio administration by Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. Its language harks back to the earlier version proposed by former Councilmember Gail Brewer (now Manhattan Borough President), the Mayor said.