New NYC Laws Coming In 2021: Pandemic Changes Made Permanent

NEW YORK CITY — Lawmakers in 2020 unleashed a flurry of fast-acting legislation to fight the coronavirus pandemic and keep New York City afloat. But between survival measures they also passed laws that will shape the city for years to come.

Outdoor dining will be a permanent feature of New York City in 2021 and beyond, more employees can claim sick leave and additional action on police reform is slated.

Here's what you need to know about the changes to city and state law coming in the year ahead.

Sick Leave

The thought of sick leave weighed heavily on New Yorkers in April when Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a law established a right to paid leave.

The new sick leave law requires employers with five or more employees or net income of more than $1 million to provide paid sick leave to employees. Employers with fewer than five employees and a net income of $1 million or less are required to provide unpaid sick leave to employees.

Covered employees in New York starting on Sept. 30 began to accrue leave at one hour for every 30 hours worker. On Jan. 1, they can start using it.

Evictions and Housing

A recent eviction moratorium extension technically took effect in 2020, but the ban will last at least until May 1.

The sweeping bill — the COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act — is one of many, many coronavirus-related bills the state Legislature and Gov. Andrew Cuomo shepherded amid pandemic turmoil.

It gives tenants and homeowners at least 60 days to show the coronavirus pandemic caused them hardship. Once they do, any eviction proceedings will be halted until May 1.

Housing likely will be a top priority for state lawmakers when the next legislative session begins Jan. 6.

But not all changes will come from the state level.

A City Council-passed and Mayor Bill de Blasio-signed updated housing discrimination ban takes effect in 2021.

The law prohibits landlords of small buildings of one to five units from denying rent based on their source of income.

A related bill requires the city to begin an online portal by June 2021 for recipients of rental assistance vouchers. The site will allow people to look up the status of their voucher and if payments were submitted on their behalf.

Outdoor Dining

The city’s outdoor dining program arose as a pandemic necessity — a way for New Yorkers to visit their favorite eateries, restaurants to stay open and everyone to keep safe from coronavirus.

A new law extends the current Open Restaurants program through Sept. 21, 2021. And, once it expires, it requires the city to set up a permanent program that allows for the use of roadway seating as outdoor dining areas.

‘Just Cause’ For Fast Food Firings

A pair of City Council-approved bills protecting the city’s fast food workers technically aren’t law yet, but they all but assured to be served up soon.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he supports bills banning the firing of food food workers without “just cause” or reducing their hours without a bona fide economic reasons.

Council Member Brad Lander, who long shepherded the “just cause” bill, said the measures protect workers from being fired “on a whim.”

“Now, employers will be required to implement fair dismissal policies, including a clear disciplinary process and a written rationale (a “just cause”) before letting someone go,” he said in a statement. “When fast food chains need to make layoffs for budgetary reasons, they’ll be required to go in the order of reverse seniority, to ensure that layoffs don’t just become an excuse for bringing back arbitrary, unfair firings.”

The bills will take effect 180 days after they’re made law. De Blasio is scheduled to hold a hearing on them on Jan. 5.

Police Reform

The protests over the killing of George Floyd and police violence gripped New York City over the summer — and prompted a wave of state and local police reforms.

A long-sought ban on police chokeholds and a repeal of a law shielding police performance records from the public quickly were enacted, among other reforms.

Those took effect immediately but New York City political leaders have another round of reforms due April 1.

That’s the deadline Gov. Andrew Cuomo gave local governments across the state, including New York City, to adopt police reform plans. He instructed politicians, law enforcement leaders and community members to engage in discussions over the role of police in their communities.

De Blasio has said he believes the city already conducted those steps, but Cuomo — at least for now — thinks otherwise. Either way, expect the City Council to pass a police reform measure sometime before the spring is through.