Mayor de Blasio signed three bills Monday to protect hotel workers, small business owners and sick employees from the coronavirus pandemic and economic ramifications.
“It’s a matter of justice in making sure that hardworking people could actually lead a decent life,” de Blasio said at the event that was live-streamed from City Hall.
The first bill guarantees the jobs and current pay of hotel workers for 90 days after the property is sold to a new owner. After that period workers must be retained if they receive positive written evaluations.
The second bill shields small business owners from personal liability if they cannot pay their commercial rent due to COVID-19, such as barber shops and gyms that were forced to close under the governor’s executive order or restaurants that had to limit service. The legislation bars landlords from going after the owners’ personal assets.
The last piece of legislation simply extends the city’s paid sick leave to match a recently-expanded state law. That law requires businesses with fewer than 100 employees to provide 40 hours of paid leave while larger companies have to give up to 56 hours.