N.Y.C. Admin. Code § 20-914: § 20-914 Use of safe/sick time.

a.

Sick time.

1. An employee shall be entitled to use sick time for absence from work due to:

(a) such employee's mental or physical illness, injury or health condition or need for medical diagnosis, care or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition or need for preventive medical care; or

(b) care of a family member who needs medical diagnosis, care or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition or who needs preventive medical care; or

(c) closure of such employee’s place of business by order of a public official due to a public health emergency, a public disaster, or such employee’s need to care for a child whose school or childcare provider closed or restricted in-person operations by order of public official due to a public health emergency or public disaster; or

(d) direction by a public official to remain indoors or avoid travel during a public disaster which prevents such employee from reporting to their work location.

2. For an absence of more than 3 consecutive work days for sick time, an employer may require reasonable documentation that the use of sick time was authorized by this subdivision. For sick time used pursuant to this subdivision, documentation signed by a licensed health care provider indicating the need for the amount of sick time taken shall be considered reasonable documentation and an employer shall not require that such documentation specify the nature of the employee's or the employee's family member's injury, illness or condition, except as required by law. Where a health care provider charges an employee a fee for the provision of documentation requested by their employer, such employer shall reimburse the employee for such fee.

b.

Safe time.

1. An employee shall be entitled to use safe time for absence from work due to any of the following reasons:

(a) when the employee or employee’s family member has been the victim of domestic violence pursuant to subdivision 34 of section 292 of the executive law, a family offense matter, sexual offense, stalking, workplace violence, or human trafficking:

(1) to obtain services from a domestic violence shelter, rape crisis center, or other shelter or services program for relief from a family offense matter, sexual offense, stalking, or human trafficking;

(2) to participate in safety planning, temporarily or permanently relocate, or take other actions to increase the safety of the employee or employee’s family members from future family offense matters, sexual offenses, stalking, or human trafficking;

(3) to meet with a legal or social service provider to obtain information and advice on, and prepare for or participate in any criminal or civil proceeding, including but not limited to, matters related to a family offense matter, sexual offense, stalking, human trafficking, custody, visitation, matrimonial issues, orders of protection, immigration, housing or discrimination;

(4) to file a complaint or domestic incident report with law enforcement;

(5) to meet with a district attorney’s office;

(6) to enroll children in a new school; or

(7) to take other actions necessary to maintain, improve, or restore the physical, psychological, or economic health or safety of the employee or the employee’s family member or to protect those who associate or work with the employee.

(b) When the employee is a caregiver for a minor child or care recipient, to provide care to the minor child or care recipient; or

(c) to initiate, attend or prepare for a legal proceeding or hearing related to subsistence benefits or housing to which the employee, the employee’s family member, or the employee’s care recipient is a party, or to take actions necessary to apply for, maintain, or restore subsistence benefits or shelter for the employee or their family member or care recipient.

2. For an absence of more than 3 consecutive work days for safe time, an employer may require reasonable documentation that the use of safe time was authorized by this subdivision. For safe time used pursuant to this subdivision, documentation signed by an employee, agent, or volunteer of a legal or social services provider, court or government agency, school or care provider, an attorney, a member of the clergy, or a medical or other professional service provider; a police, agency or court record; or a notarized letter from the employee explaining the need for such time shall be considered reasonable documentation and an employer shall not require that such documentation specify the details of the underlying need for the safe time. An employer shall reimburse an employee for all reasonable costs or expenses incurred for the purpose of obtaining such documentation for an employer.

c. An employer may require reasonable notice of the need to use safe/sick time. Where such need is foreseeable, an employer may require reasonable advance notice of the intention to use such safe/sick time, not to exceed 7 days prior to the date such safe/sick time is to begin. Where such need is not foreseeable, an employer may require an employee to provide notice of the need for the use of safe/sick time as soon as practicable.

d. Nothing herein shall prevent an employer from requiring an employee to provide written confirmation that an employee used safe/sick time pursuant to this section.

e. An employer shall not require an employee, as a condition of taking safe/sick time, to search for or find a replacement worker to cover the hours during which such employee is utilizing time.

f. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit an employer from taking disciplinary action, up to and including termination, against a worker who uses safe/sick time provided pursuant to this chapter for purposes other than those described in this section.