NYC to Provide Four Hours Paid Sick Leave for City Workers to Get their Children Vaccinated

By Yehudit Garmaise

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced this morning that starting today, all city workers and contractors will have an additional four hours of paid sick leave to get each child vaccinated.

“We want to make it really easy for parents with kids in this young age group: the 5 to 11-year-olds to get their kids vaccinated,” said the mayor, who noted that since Thursday, the city has already vaccinated 17,000 children in that young age group. “We are starting today with a plan that all city employees and contractors will have an additional four hours of paid sick leave, per child, per vaccination.

“We want to say to parents, ‘Whatever it takes, we are going to help you do it.’

“This is something parents deserve: you shouldn’t have to choose between your paycheck and the health of your family.”

The mayor, who said that New York City already has paid sick leave for city workers “on an unprecedented level,” wants to extend that paid sick leave to help parents to get their children vaccinated and care for them if they experience any side effects after their shots. 

In addition, the city also wants to provide the same four hours of sick leave, per child, per vaccination for New Yorkers who work in the private sector.

“We want to make sure everyone has this right for the time they need to get their kids vaccinated,” said the mayor, who noted that 93% of the city’s workforce is already vaccinated.

Peter Hatch, the Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs and Worker Protection is leading the city’s efforts to pass a bill in the City Council that will provide the same four hours sick leave, for each shot of every child who is up to 18 years old, for New Yorkers who work for private companies. 

Once the City Council passes the bill, which Hatch said he is working to do “as soon as possible, the four hours of paid sick leave will be retroactive back to Nov. 2, which is the date the CDC officially authorized vaccines for children 5 to 11 years old.

“Caregivers can use this time to get their children vaccinated or to care for their children, if they are experiencing side effects,” said Hatch, who added that he would be taking his daughter to get vaccinated this week. “This new law would apply to the same families who are covered by the city’s Paid Safe and Paid Sick law today, and everyone will get this additional four hours per child.”

In addition to the extended paid sick leave, New York City public schools will be providing vaccination sites every day between now and next Monday.

“If we see a lot of demand,” the mayor said. “We are ready to add to that schedule.”

(Darren McGee- Office of Formor Governor Andrew M. Cuomo)