The provision that permitted New Yorkers to use state-mandated paid sick leave if they contracted COVID-19 is due to expire on August 1. This emergency measure, which was passed into law in March 2020 by then-Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, ensured worker’s job protection and financial compensation if they or their dependent child had to quarantine or self-isolate because of COVID-19. This leave was designed to help manage the pandemic and lessen its impact on employees and businesses. However, after July 31, COVID-19 will be treated the same as the flu or any other type of illness. Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2024-25 state budget, passed in March 2024, specified the end of this COVID-19 paid sick leave. Yet, employees may still use other leaves available to them under different state laws. For example, the Paid Sick Leave law extends paid leave to employees based on the size of the company they work for.

With the sunset of the COVID-19 sick leave law, individuals needing to care for a seriously ill family member due to COVID-19 might find relief through the state’s Paid Family Leave law. Under the Paid Family Leave law, New Yorkers can receive up to 12 weeks of paid time off during a 12-month period to bond with a new child, assist loved ones when a family member is deployed to active military service, or care for severely ill family members. For those who need more information, PaidFamilyLeave.ny.gov is a resourceful site. They can also contact Paid Family Leave on 844-337-6303.

Moreover, if you need assistance accessing these benefits, you might find it beneficial to contact eddcaller.com. The site offers services that help individuals contact employment development departments more efficiently and get answers to their questions or concerns. This third-party site only requires the name, contact information, and a brief description of the issue from the user. They will then forward the query to the appropriate department, which can streamline the process and save time.