NYers With Vaccination Side Effects Get Paid Sick Leave

LONG ISLAND, NY — New Yorkers who have been afraid to get a vaccination, worried that side effects might keep them home from work and mean a loss in pay, shouldn't let that derail them from rolling up their sleeves, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday.

A study of unvaccinated people by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicated that 48 percent expressed concerns that "they might need to miss work if the side effects of the vaccine make them feel sick," Cuomo said.

Of those who had fears of missing work, 64 percent were Hispanic and 55 percent, African American, Cuomo said.

To alleviate that hurdle toward getting workers vaccinated, Cuomo said on Friday that the New York State Department of Labor issued new guidance to employers stating that any recovery period from the coronavirus vaccination is covered by New York State's paid sick leave law, so employees don't need to worry about missing a day's pay.

He reminded that New Yorkers also are given four paid hours to go and get the vaccination.

Also, Cuomo said that most people experience only "mild side effects" from the vaccination and don't need to miss work.