Link to the article: https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/covid-sick-days-remain-issue-businesses-even-18445649.php
A few snippets:
The largest businesses or public sector employees might be able to absorb these costs, but for smaller businesses or low-margin operations it becomes a financial challenge, said Ashley Ranslow, New York’s state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses.
“It is burdensome not just from a financial standpoint but also from a staffing standpoint,’’ said Ranslow.
Here's a crazyidea! How about having regularly scheduling in an extra body so that a single person being absent doesn't cause rage quit level workload increases for anyone unlucky enough to make it in that day?!
With the worst of the pandemic hopefully in the rearview mirror, it would seem that there is less need for a paid COVID sick leave mandate. But some have raised the possibility that employees, at least some, have exploited the law and used it for vacation days in the guise of sick time. Those taking COVID time are supposed to provide a doctor’s note or lab results. The regulations were tightened last year to disallow home COVID test results, since those can be swapped out or faked.
Uh yeah, maybe if more businesses gave enough PTO rather than the absolute bare minimums forced by law, workers wouldn't need to fake COVID tests. As far as the pandemic is concerned, right now the powers that be are basically crossing their fingers and praying that the bodies don't suddenly start piling up NY or Italy style.