BILL NUMBER: S8892
SPONSOR: FERNANDEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the labor law, in relation to the use of paid sick leave
for bereavement purposes
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This bill would allow employees to use accrued sick leave for bereave-
ment purposes.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one amends the labor law by adding a new subdivision 4-b to
allow employees who accrue sick leave to use that leave for bereavement
purposes, including upon the death of a family member, upon a miscar-
riage or still birth by the employee or the employee's spouse or domes-
tic partner, or upon a foster child leaving a foster family provided the
foster child was in the care of the foster family for a minimum of six
months.
Section two sets the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
New York's paid sick leave law allows employees to use accrued sick
leave for illness, injury, health conditions, as well as safe leave.
The law does not explicitly cover bereavement. As a result, those
employees experiencing the loss of a family member may be forced to
return to work or take unpaid leave while grieving. This bill also
acknowledges diverse family experiences, including the grief associated
with a miscarriage or still birth, and the departure of a long-term
foster child.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.

Statutes affected:
S8892: 196-b labor law