NOTE: A new Federal Law also comes into effect in early April. See this article to see how they relate
The new NY paid-leave law can be thought of as two laws combined into one:
Section 1 - Effective as soon as the bill is signed into law - Paid leave due to Covid-19
The overall intent of section 1 of the new law is to both protect jobs and provide paid sick leave to workers who are quarantined. The new law makes use of some existing frameworks like Paid Family Leave and Workers' Compensation in order to pay for the sick leave. The employer's responsibility will be to pay into the existing Paid Family Leave and Workers' Compensation insurance funds to cover the costs.
It covers absences from work that are due to a "
mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation issued by the State of New York, The Department of Health, a Local Board of Health, or any government entity duly authorized to issues such order" (Workers' compensation - disability), OR to provide care for a minor dependent child of the employee who has been ordered into quarantine (Paid Family Leave).
It
does not apply to an employee who has not yet been diagnosed and is able to work remotely.
If the Federal Government subsequently provides sick leave or employee benefits, then NY State will only pay benefits above the federal entitlement.