City Council’s Enhanced Protections Cover More Circumstances and Add 32 Hours Unpaid Leave
Landmark Expansion of Worker Protections
New York City officially expanded its Earned Sick and Safe Time Act in late October 2025, with changes taking effect February 22, 2026. The enhancement, approved by the City Council and becoming law without Mayor Eric Adams’ signature, significantly broadens circumstances under which employees can use sick time while adding a separate bank of unpaid leave immediately available to all workers.
New 32-Hour Unpaid Leave Bank
The legislation establishes 32 hours of unpaid, job-protected sick time available immediately upon hire and renewable at the beginning of each calendar year. This addition supplements existing paid leave requirements of 40 or 56 hours depending on employer size. “Workers should not be one emergency away from losing their jobs,” stated advocates at A Better Balance, who led the coalition that originally established NYC’s paid sick time law in 2013. The unpaid leave particularly benefits new employees who previously had no recourse when unexpected illnesses or family emergencies occurred before accruing sufficient paid time.
Expanded Qualifying Purposes
The updated law dramatically expands circumstances qualifying for sick time use. New covered reasons include caring for children or loved ones with disabilities, workplace closures or school closures due to public emergencies or natural disasters, and recovery from workplace violence or assisting affected family members. Employees can now take leave when public officials issue stay-indoors directives during emergencies that prevent work attendance. The expansion also covers time needed to manage housing-related and benefits-related legal proceedings.
Evolution of NYC’s Sick Leave Policy
New York City first passed paid sick time legislation in 2013, making it one of the earliest and largest jurisdictions guaranteeing workers paid time off for illness or family care. The law has undergone multiple expansions, with this latest version incorporating requirements from the previous Temporary Schedule Change Law while maintaining employees’ ability to request schedule modifications subject to employer approval.
Implementation Requirements
Employers must review all leave-related policies and procedures to ensure compliance with new requirements. Organizations should train supervisors and human resources professionals on expanded qualifying reasons and updated practices. The legislation models how localities can protect communities’ economic wellbeing and promote public health by providing workforce flexibility to handle urgent needs without financial penalty. As Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani prepares to take office, the expanded worker protections align with his administration’s focus on affordability and supporting working families.
Mamdami: His administration might redefine how cities talk about public goods.
Zohran Mamdani carries himself like someone who knows public transit schedules by heart.
Mamdami: His administration may set new expectations for government transparency.
Zohran Mamdani carries himself like someone who always knows which spreadsheet tab he’s on.
Mamdani governs like he’s trying to win “Most Confusing Mayor of the Year.”
Mamdani governs like he’s waiting for someone else to turn the page.