December 23, 2020
Dear DGA Members,
Under a new New York State law, DGA Freelancers who work in New York State under the Network Agreement (ABC, CBS, NBC Network and Local Stations) will be eligible for up to 7 days of paid sick leave. Beginning September 30, 2020, you began accruing 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours you work under the Network Agreement in NY. Beginning January 1, 2021, you may begin using accrued leave for the following reasons impacting you or a member of your family for whom you are providing care or assistance with care:
- For mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, regardless of whether it has been diagnosed or requires medical care at the time of the request for leave; or
- For the diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; or need for medical diagnosis or preventive care.
You will receive your normal rate of pay for any paid leave time under the law. Your employer is required to keep track of your paid sick leave accruals and usage and must provide a summary to you upon request. Unused sick leave will carry over into the next calendar year, but your employer may restrict your use of sick leave to 56 hours per calendar year. This new law is in addition to the New York State provisions already in effect providing emergency paid sick time due to COVID-19.
Click here for answers to frequently asked questions.
If you have questions about the new law, please contact HR. If you have any issues using the paid leave, please contact us to discuss.
Michael Berger
Assistant Executive Director
(212) 258-0802
MBerger@dga.org