Update to Quarantine Restrictions Following Out of State Travel

If an employee commences travel to a noncontiguous state for more than 24 hours:

• Employee may telecommute, if applicable, for the duration of the quarantine.
• If the employee cannot telecommute, the employee shall not be permitted access to quarantine leave, if applicable but may charge appropriate leave accruals.

These rules apply to employee travel to states that are added to the New York State Department of Health (DOH) site.

These provisions do not apply if an employee travels to a designated state as part of the employee’s employment or at the direction of the employee’s agency:

• If an agency orders an employee to travel to a designated state for work, the employee may telecommute for the duration of the quarantine. 
• If the employee cannot telecommute, the employee shall be placed on quarantine leave at full pay without charge to accruals.  

Employees returning from a designated state who cannot telecommute and are deemed essential and critical for the operation or safety of the workplace, upon a documented determination by their supervisor and a human resources (HR) representative in consultation with appropriate state and local health authorities, the exposed, asymptomatic employee may return to work so long as the employee adheres to the following practices prior to and during their work shift, which should be monitored and documented by the employer and employee: 

• Regular monitoring: The employee must self-monitor for a temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit every 12 hours and symptoms consistent with COVID-19 under the supervision of their employer’s occupational health program.
• Wear a mask: The employee must wear a face mask at all times while in the workplace for 14 days after last exposure.
• Social distance: The employee must continue social distancing practices, including maintaining, at least, six feet of distance from others.
• Clean and disinfect workspaces: The employer must continue to regularly clean and disinfect all areas, such as offices, bathrooms, common areas, and shared electronic equipment.
• Maintain quarantine: The employee must continue to self-quarantine and selfmonitor for temperature and symptoms when not at the workplace for 14 days after last exposure.

If an employee is symptomatic upon arrival at work or becomes sick with COVID-19 symptoms while at the workplace, absent close or proximate contact with a person with COVID-19, the employee must be separated and sent home immediately and may return to work upon completing at least 10 days of isolation from the onset of symptoms OR upon receipt of a negative COVID-19 test result.