April 2, 2014
By Alan Schulkin
New York, NY – City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and members of the City Council distributed flyers at subway stations across the City yesterday April 1st to alert New Yorkers about the first day of the Earned Sick Time Act going into effect.
Passed by the City Council in February and signed into law by Mayor de Blasio last month, the Earned Sick Time Act provides paid sick time coverage for all businesses with five or more employees. New Yorkers can now start accruing paid sick time that can be used when either they or a family member falls ill.
“Today is the start of a new era for nearly one million working people in New York City and I thank my Council colleagues and the de Blasio Administration for making paid sick days a reality in our City and proving that our laws can live up to our values,”said Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito.
Expanded paid sick leave will improve the quality of life for the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers affected by the new law and the family members who depend on them.
For workers in New York City who currently don't have paid sick time, this law guarantees that they don't have to sacrifice a paycheck when they need a sick day. For those without paid sick-time, our city will become one of greater opportunity. Paid sick time means fewer people working and spreading illness when they are sick.
“I’m looking forward to hitting the streets to promote the enactment of paid sick leave,” said Council Member I. Daneek Miller. “This is a law that is to the benefit of our community and it is important that employers, employees, and their families understand their rights under it. ”
