Coronavirus (COVID-19) Alert

The State enacted a law providing benefits to workers impacted by mandatory or precautionary orders of quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19. If your employer doesn't comply with this law, you have the right to file a complaint.

You can report that:

  • A non-essential business is operating
  • You're being forced to work at a non-essential business
  • You're being forced to work for an essential business, but:
    • You don't perform an essential function
    • You're being forced to go to work when your job could be performed from home
    • Your employer isn't following health and safety mandates
    • You're scared because you are over 70 and/or you have an underlying illness.
  • Your employer has failed to pay you wages owed for hours worked, earned sick pay, or paid time off
  • You qualify for COVID-19 paid sick leave and your employer refuses to pay it
  • Your employer has threatened or fired you for reasons related to COVID-19
  • Your employer is forcing you to work when you're sick

Online

File a complaint.

Email

Email the State Attorney General's Labor Bureau at Labor.Bureau@ag.ny.gov.

By Phone

Call the State Attorney General's Labor Bureau at (212) 416-8700.

You can get information about laws that apply to workers and their employers.

You can make a complaint against your employer for unfair or illegal practices. 

Online

Get information about labor laws.

Report unfair or illegal labor practices.

File a Claim for Unpaid Wages.

By Phone

  • Agency: New York State Department of Labor
  • Division: Division of Labor Standards Local Office
  • Phone Number: (888) 469-7365
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM
  • Staff is available through the automated phone system during business hours.

Under NYC’s Paid Safe and Sick Leave Law, covered employees can use sick leave:

  • For diagnosis, care, or treatment of illness, injury, or health condition or for preventive medical care for employee or anyone employee considers family.
  • When a public official closes employee’s business or child’s school or child care provider due to a public health emergency.

Employees may be eligible for 2 additional days as unpaid leave under NYC’s Temporary Schedule Change Law. See the Temporary Work Schedule Change page for more information. 

Mandatory Quarantine or Isolation

The federal and state governments passed laws to protect workers.

Federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act

The federal law covers businesses with up to 500 full-time and part-time employees. The U.S. Department of Labor can issue regulations exempting certain employers with 50 or fewer employees.

  • Full-time employees get up to 2 weeks (80 hours) leave.
  • Part-time employees get their average hours for a 2-week work period in leave.

The rate of pay depends on the use.

Full-time and part-time employees get their regular rate of pay up to $511 per day (up to $5,110 total) for:

  • Mandatory quarantine or isolation
  • Doctor-recommended self-quarantine
  • Medical diagnosis due to symptoms of COVID-19

Full-time and part-time employees get 2/3 of their regular rate of pay up to $200 per day (up to $2,000 total) for:

  • Care for a family member under mandatory or doctor-recommended self-quarantine
  • Care for child due to school or child care facility closing or because child care provider unavailable due to COVID-19
  • Any other substantially similar condition as specified by relevant federal agencies

Employees may be eligible for expanded paid or unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).

You can get more information from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Visit the U.S. Department of Labor website.

New York State Emergency COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave

The state law covers government-ordered quarantine or isolation only. Where the federal and state laws overlap on mandatory quarantine, the federal law applies. State law applies to the extent it gives employees additional benefits beyond what federal law allows.

Employees get leave for the duration of quarantine or isolation. Rate of pay is based on number of employees and, in some cases, business earnings.

Number of Employees

Business Income

Rate of Pay

1-10

Less than $1 million in prior year

Unpaid (all days)

More than $1 million in prior year

Paid (at least 5 days)

Unpaid (remaining days)

11-99

Not applicable

Paid (at least 5 days)

Unpaid (remaining days)

100+

Not applicable

Paid (at least 14 days)

 

Learn more about emergency paid sick leave for the coronavirus.

As of December 31, 2019, the minimum wage for workers in New York City is $15 per hour for all businesses.

For all workers in New York State, the minimum wage is set to rise to $15 by December 31, 2021.

If the Federal minimum wage increases above the State minimum wage, the State wage will rise accordingly.

Learn more about New York State minimum wage laws.

You can also get help with Unpaid Wage Recovery.

You can get information about New York State's Paid Family Leave Law.

This law provides New Yorkers with job-protected, paid leave to bond with a new child, care for a loved one with a serious health condition, or to help relieve family pressures when someone is called to active military service abroad.

Online

Get information about Paid Family Leave.

By Phone

  • Agency: New York State Department of Labor
  • Division: Paid Family Leave Helpline
  • Phone Number: (844) 337-6303
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM

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