New NYC Law Grants Millions More Paid Time Off

Employers must provide 32 additional unpaid protected hours per year starting Sunday

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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A new law in New York City will require employers to provide an additional 32 hours of unpaid protected time off per year for millions of workers, expanding on the existing 40-56 hours of paid protected leave. The law, which takes effect this Sunday, also broadens what qualifies for paid time off, allowing workers to use it to care for children or loved ones with disabilities.

Why it matters

The new law aims to give workers more flexibility and support to address personal and family needs without risking their jobs. It comes as concerns have grown about employers discouraging or penalizing workers for using existing paid time off benefits.

The details

The new law will apply to over 56,000 businesses in New York City. The city plans to send compliance warnings to those companies and audit some to ensure workers receive the additional time off. Mayor Zohran Mamdani touted the law as an important worker protection, while a worker named Michael Lebron shared how the current limited time off made it difficult for him to seek medical care as a single parent.

  • The new law takes effect this Sunday, February 23, 2026.
  • The New York City Council passed the law last year.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The mayor of New York City who championed the new law expanding worker time off benefits.

Sam Levine

The commissioner for the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, which will oversee compliance with the new law.

Michael Lebron

A single parent and Amazon worker who shared how the current limited time off made it difficult for him to seek needed medical care.

Amazon

A major employer in New York City that says it will comply with the new law, which expands on the company's existing paid time off policies.

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What they’re saying

“Legislation that will expand what workers can use paid time off for in our city, will expand it such that a worker can use paid time off to take care of a child or a loved one with a disability.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City (CBS News)

“They shouldn't have to choose between keeping their job, protecting their home, caring for their kids, caring for their loved ones.”

— Sam Levine, Commissioner, NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (CBS News)

“When you look at an employer and you see no use of paid time off from its workforce, you're looking at a workforce that has been told in either explicit or implicit terms that there will be repercussions if they're to use that time.”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City (CBS News)

“In the beginning, they'll give us seven hours of [paid time off] and I work 10-hour shifts, so it doesn't even cover the whole shift. They told me if it grows, it's a problem, if it stays like that, it should be easy. But I won't know because I'm not going to the doctor.”

— Michael Lebron, Amazon worker and single parent (CBS News)

What’s next

The city will send compliance warnings to 56,000 businesses and plans to audit certain companies to ensure workers get the time off they're entitled to under the new law.

The takeaway

This new law aims to give millions of New York City workers more flexibility and support to address personal and family needs without risking their jobs, addressing concerns that some employers have discouraged or penalized workers for using existing paid time off benefits.