New guidance has been issued by the New York State Department of Labor on the New York Paid Sick Leave law. While there are still many unanswered questions, the newly proposed regulations (Part 196) provide clarity on:

• the definitions of specific terms included in the law;
• documentation that employers can and cannot require of employees seeking to use sick time;
• how employers should calculate the number of employees they have for the purposes of determining the proper amount of sick leave that must be offered; and
• employee leave accrual methodologies.

Frequently asked questions regarding the new guidance can be accessed on the New York State Department of Labor website.

As previously reported, the New York Paid Sick Leave Law which took effect Sept. 30, was included in the New York state 2020-2021 budget, signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on April 3, and applies to employers of all sizes, except for public employers.