Tips for dealing with New York’s COVID-19 travel ban

On June 24, 2020, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued Executive Order (EO) 205, instructing the state commissioner of health to issue a travel advisory requiring everyone coming into New York from states with a high rate of coronavirus infections to quarantine for a 14-day period. He later issued EO 202.45 on June 26, which clarified that employees who travel to a state subject to the travel ban for personal reasons would be ineligible for paid sick leave under the New York State Quarantine Law (NYS Q-Law), which affords such benefits to those who are ordered to quarantine. But what about paid sick leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)? Read on to see how EO 205 affects your business and who pays for your employee’s vacation in a “hot” state.

Background

Interim guidance on quarantine restrictions for travelers arriving in the state issued by the New York State Department of Health (DOH) mandated that all travelers, including New York residents, coming from the states listed by the DOH must quarantine. The 14-day period runs from the time of the traveler’s last contact with a listed state.

The DOH determines which states are subject to the travel advisory. It started on June 25 and will remain in effect until the commissioner rescinds it.

States subject to travel ban