New York City Requires Paid Time Off for Parents/Guardians to Vaccinate Kids Against COVID-19

New York City Requires Paid Time Off for Parents/Guardians to Vaccinate Kids Against COVID-19

On December 24, 2021, New York City enacted a new law applicable to employees working within the City limits that requires employers to provide four hours of paid leave to employees with minors or children regardless of age who are “incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability” to obtain COVID-19 vaccination for those children and another four hours for the child’s recovery from side effects. This paid leave is separate and in addition to the paid leave already available under NYC’s Earned Sick and Safe Time Act, and it cannot be waived by a collective bargaining agreement. The City’s new mandate, which applies retroactively to November 2, 2021, expires on December 31, 2022.

Employees cannot be required to work additional hours to make up for the hours of leave or to find a replacement employee to cover their work. Depending on the violation, penalties against employers for each instance of violation or retaliation range from $250 to $2,500. In addition, employees who were entitled to but not paid for the leave are entitled to three times the wages that should have been paid or $250, whichever is greater.