What happens if your child is required to quarantine? This information from the NY.gov website discusses your options and how you could be eligible for Paid Family Leave to take care of your child.

Taking Leave When Your Dependent Child Is Quarantined

If your minor dependent child is under a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation issued by the state of New York, the Department of Health, local board of health, or any government entity duly authorized to issue such order due to COVID-19, you may be eligible to take Paid Family Leave to care for them. This benefit is not available to you if you are able to work through remote access or other means.

Who is Covered?

Most employees who work for private employers in New York State are covered under Paid Family Leave. If you are a public employee, your employer may opt in to provide the benefit. If you are a union-represented public employee, you could be covered under Paid Family Leave if your union and public employer have agreed to include it in their collective bargaining agreement.

Who is Eligible?

If you have a minor dependent child under a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19, and you are covered under Paid Family Leave, you are eligible once you have met the minimum requirements:

• Full-time employees: If you work a regular schedule of 20 or more hours per week, you are eligible after 26 consecutive weeks of employment with your employer.
• Part-time employees: If you work a regular schedule of less than 20 hours per week, you are eligible after working for your employer for 175 days, which do not need to be consecutive.

Citizenship and/or immigration status is not a factor in your eligibility.

What are Your Rights and Protections?

• You have job protection, so you are entitled to return to the same job (or a comparable one) when you return from Paid Family Leave.
• Your health insurance continues while on leave on the same terms as if you had continued working. If you contribute to the cost of your health insurance, you must continue to pay your portion of the cost while on leave.
• Your employer is prohibited from discriminating or retaliating against you for requesting or taking Paid Family Leave.

What are the Benefits?

If you are an eligible employee whose dependent child is under a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation, you may be able to take Paid Family Leave for the duration of the quarantine/isolation. In 2021, the Paid Family Leave wage benefit is 67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), up to a maximum weekly benefit of $840.70. Your AWW is the average of your pay for the last eight weeks in which you worked and received wages prior to starting Paid Family Leave.

How to Apply

To apply for Paid Family Leave when your minor dependent child is under a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation, follow the steps found on the NY.gov website.

Click here to view the original notice on the NY.gov website.