Courtesy Freepik
Minimum Wage, Sick Leave and Health Rules Change
By MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
A sweeping set of new laws taking effect in 2026 will bring significant changes for New York City residents, expanding worker protections, reshaping health care coverage and strengthening consumer rights as the city and state continue to respond to rising costs and workplace concerns.
One of the most consequential changes for city workers is the expansion of New York City’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act. Beginning in late February, employers will be required to provide workers with up to 32 hours of unpaid safe or sick time in addition to existing paid leave. The unpaid time will be available immediately upon hiring and at the start of each benefit year, while the law also broadens the reasons workers may use safe or sick leave. The changes replace the city’s Temporary Schedule Change Law and are expected to affect hundreds of thousands of employees across industries.
Minimum wage increases will also directly impact city residents. Starting Jan. 1, the minimum wage rises to $17 per hour in New York City, matching increases in Long Island and Westchester County. Tipped workers will see corresponding increases in cash wages and tip credits, while salary thresholds for certain exempt employees will rise, expanding overtime eligibility for many workers.
Beautiful family standing at the cash counter buying groceries at the supermarket
Health care costs and access are another major focus. New laws taking effect at the start of the year require insurers to cap out-of-pocket costs for medically necessary EpiPens at $100 annually and mandate coverage for breast cancer screening and diagnostic imaging when recommended by a physician. Large group health plans will also be required to cover scalp cooling systems used during chemotherapy, a benefit aimed at reducing the financial burden of cancer treatment for patients.
Beyond insurance coverage, the state is moving to strengthen health care systems that serve city residents, including investments in Medicaid, expanded mental health initiatives and new workplace violence prevention requirements for health care employers. Hospitals will be required to implement comprehensive violence prevention programs later in the year, reflecting growing concerns about worker safety.
New York will also allow terminally ill residents with less than six months to live to access medical aid in dying. The law, set to take effect six months after its January signing, permits eligible patients to request prescribed medication to end their life under strict medical oversight. It includes safeguards to ensure that patients are fully informed and capable of making the decision, requiring confirmation from multiple health care providers and opportunities for patients to rescind their request at any time. The legislation marks a significant expansion of end-of-life options for city residents, providing a legal framework for those facing terminal illness to make deeply personal choices about their care and quality of life in their final months.
Consumer protections are also expanding, with several laws designed to address common frustrations for city shoppers. Online subscription cancellations must be easier, retailers will be required to clearly post return and refund policies, and new rules will govern “buy now, pay later” loans. Another law targets so-called surveillance pricing by requiring businesses to disclose when prices are set by algorithms that use consumers’ personal data, a practice increasingly common in online commerce.
For New Yorkers navigating daily work and city life, additional protections are coming into force. Health care employers must implement workplace violence prevention plans and provide training on sexual harassment and assault. Employers will be barred from retaliating against workers who request reasonable accommodations, and new limits will apply to the use of consumer credit history in employment decisions, extending protections already familiar to city workers.
Several city-specific measures are also set to roll out. Amendments to the safe and sick leave law codify paid prenatal leave requirements and expand permissible uses of leave for caregiving, housing-related legal proceedings and public emergencies. New minimum pay standards and safety rules will take effect for grocery delivery and other contracted delivery workers, while proposed legislation could give drivers and app-based delivery workers new rights to challenge wrongful deactivations if enacted.
Not all planned changes are moving forward on schedule. A state law requiring certain new buildings to rely on electric heat and appliances has been temporarily suspended while legal challenges play out, delaying its impact on new developments in the city.
As 2026 begins, the volume and scope of new laws underscore a rapidly evolving legal landscape for New York City residents. From paychecks and paid leave to health care bills and online purchases, the changes are expected to touch many aspects of daily life in the nation’s largest city.
