Westchester Earned Sick Leave Law

All employees (full-time or part-time) working at least 80 hours in a calendar year. Participants in a work-study program under 42 U.S.C. § 2753; and employees compensated by or through qualified scholarships under 26 U.S.C. § 117 are not eligible for ESLL.

Accrual

Employees eligible for ESLL accrue one paid hour of sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Accrual for sick leave under ESLL begins July 10, 2019, or the first date of employment, whichever is later.

The maximum sick leave available in a calendar year is up to 40 hours. Employees must complete the 90-day orientation period before sick leave under ESLL may be used.

Employees may carry over a maximum of 40 hours of unused sick leave into the following calendar year.

Requesting Sick Leave

Employees must notify their supervisor as soon as practicable to request time under ESLL. Employees using more than three (3) consecutive workdays as sick leave will be required to provide supporting documentation from their healthcare provider to the Human Resources Department.

When can I use sick leave under ESLL?

Covered employees can use earned sick leave when:

• The employee has a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; the employee needs to get a medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of your mental or physical illness, injury or condition;
• The employee needs preventive medical care;
• The employee must care for a family member who needs medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, or who needs preventative medical care;
• In the event the University closes due to a public health emergency or the employee needs to care for a child whose school or child care provider closed due to a public health emergency.

Under ESLL A “family member” is the employee’s child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, sibling, grandchild, or grandparent. A “family member” also includes the child or parent of the employee’s spouse, domestic partner or a member of the employee’s household. A “child” includes a biological child, adopted, foster child, legal ward or a person to whom the employee stands in loco parentis, regardless of age.

I am already eligible for sick time under the University’s policy. How does ESLL impact me?

Since all regular, full-time Iona University staff who are eligible for Sick Time already accrue at or above benefits earned under ESLL, this does not affect full-time staff. It is important to note that time available through ESLL is not in addition to time already available through Iona University’s current policy.