New York paid sick leave law
The short answer
New York State paid sick leave: leave accrues at a rate of not less than one hour for every 30 hours worked (employers may instead front-load the annual amount). (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov)) Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov)) Employers with 5 to 99 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov))
Last verified Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule
General information, not legal advice. This page is for general information only and isn’t legal, financial or tax advice. Laws vary by state and change; check the official source or talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Every rule on this page links to its official source.
Paid sick leave
Do you have to give paid sick leave?Yes, statewideVerified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Accrual: New York State paid sick leave: leave accrues at a rate of not less than one hour for every 30 hours worked (employers may instead front-load the annual amount). (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov))
“Employees begin accruing leave on September 30, 2020. Leave must be accrued at a rate not less than one hour for every thirty hours worked.”
“Employees begin accruing leave on September 30, 2020. Leave must be accrued at rate not less than one hour for every thirty hours worked.”
ny.gov · dol.ny.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Annual cap large employer: Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov))
“Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year.”
“Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year.”
ny.gov · dol.ny.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Annual cap midsize employer: Employers with 5 to 99 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov))
“Employers with 5 to 99 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year.”
“Employers with 5-99 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year.”
ny.gov · dol.ny.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Annual cap small employer: Employers with 4 or fewer employees must provide up to 40 hours of sick leave per calendar year: paid if net income in the previous tax year was greater than $1 million, otherwise unpaid. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov))
“Employers with 4 or fewer employees and net income is $1 million or less in the previous tax year are required to provide up to 40 hours of unpaid sick leave per calendar year.”
“If net income is $1 million or less, employer must provide up to 40 hours of unpaid sick leave. If net income is greater than $1 million, employer must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave.”
ny.gov · dol.ny.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
Effective date: Employees began accruing New York sick leave on September 30, 2020. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov))
“Employees begin accruing leave on September 30, 2020.”
“Employees begin accruing leave on September 30, 2020.”
ny.gov · dol.ny.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources
What it means for an employer
- Put your sick leave policy in writing: accrual rate, yearly cap, carryover and how to request leave.
- Track accrued and used hours for each employee in payroll.
- Check the verified rules above for the employer size and employees covered.
The federal default
“There is currently no federal law guaranteeing access to paid sick leave, although many states and localities have passed paid sick leave laws.”
State rules can add to the federal default. The New York rules above are the ones we verified; for anything not covered, ask the state labor office.
Paid sick leave: New York and its neighbors
| State | Paid sick leave |
|---|---|
| New York | Yes, statewide |
| New Jersey | Yes, statewide |
| Pennsylvania | No statewide law |
| Connecticut | Yes, statewide |
| Massachusetts | Not verified |
| Vermont | Yes, statewide |
Only verified rules are shown. "Not verified" means we have not checked that state's rule yet; open its rulebook for the official source.
Related
Questions about New York paid sick leave law
Do you have to give paid sick leave in New York?
Accrual: New York State paid sick leave: leave accrues at a rate of not less than one hour for every 30 hours worked (employers may instead front-load the annual amount). (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov)) Annual cap large employer: Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov)) Annual cap midsize employer: Employers with 5 to 99 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per calendar year. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov)) Annual cap small employer: Employers with 4 or fewer employees must provide up to 40 hours of sick leave per calendar year: paid if net income in the previous tax year was greater than $1 million, otherwise unpaid. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov)) Effective date: Employees began accruing New York sick leave on September 30, 2020. (New York State, Paid Sick Leave (ny.gov))
Sources (3)
Checked Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error