Mandatory COVID Paid Leave to End on July 31st
(July 15, 2025) LeadingAge NY members should note that the enacted 2024-25 NYS budget included a provision to sunset COVID paid leave on July 31, 2025. After this date, employers of any size will no longer be required to provide workers with additional paid, job-protected leave for COVID quarantine/isolation.
NY is one of the last states to repeal this outdated benefit. Employers are reminded that there are still multiple paid leave requirements for NYS workers. Providers should stay compliant with other state and federal Department of Labor (DOL) guidance.
Although paid leave for COVID may be treated like any other paid sick leave after July 31st, health care employers and staff are subject to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) work exclusion guidance, which determines the duration of the mandated leave for health care personnel (HCP) infected with COVID.
The CDC guidance on return to work for HCP (updated March 2024) is still in place and located here.
For individuals who are infected with COVID, with mild to moderate illness who are not moderately to severely immunocompromised, the return-to-work criteria are:
HCP may return to work after the following criteria have been met:
- At least 7 days have passed since symptoms first appeared if a negative viral test* is obtained within 48 hours prior to returning to work (or 10 days if testing is not performed or if a positive test at day 5-7); and
- At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; and
- Symptoms (e.g., cough, shortness of breath) have improved.
*Either a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) (molecular) or antigen test may be used. If using an antigen test, HCP should have a negative test obtained on day 5 and again 48 hours later.
More details about different scenarios and testing protocols for exposed staff are available in the CDC guidance here. The general CDC COVID infection prevention guidance for health care settings is here.
Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org