New York City has recently released amendments to its Earned Safe and Sick Time law (ESSTA). These changes are meant to help provide greater transparency and utility to city employees. The two major changes are detailed below:

- Changes to the disclosure of leave totals:

- Employers must now separate any leave under ESSTA into paid and unpaid leave on each employee’s paystub.

- If an employer uses an electronic system to disclose remaining leave to employees, the employer must allow individuals access to that system for up to 6 months after termination of employment.

- New York City has added several new reasons that employees may utilize ESSTA:

- to provide care for a child or care recipient;

- to attend a legal proceeding or take other actions related to subsistence benefits or housing;

- to respond to a public disaster; and

- to respond to workplace violence.

Employers should amend their ESSTA laws to reflect the new leave entitlements and inform their Human Resources Department of the need to add new leave amounts on employee paystubs. These changes are effective beginning 7/23/2026.