Assemblyman Manny De Los Santos, D-New York City, is pictured taking the oath of office on the first day of this year’s state Legislature session.

A proposed New York City law that would allow paid sick leave to care for sick pets is making its way to the state Legislature as well.

Assemblyman Manny De Los Santos, D-New York City, has introduced A.791 to amend the state Labor Law to allow employees to receive paid sick leave for pet care.

“Permitting paid sick leave in order to care for a pet eases the ability to be a good and attentive pet owner. It will offer employees flexibility to schedule appointments for their pet and allow the ability to care for a pet without the stress of leaving the animal to experience illness alone – or needing to pay a sitter to care for them – at a time when

there is a growing importance and value for pet ownership and when pet ownership is on the rise,” De Los Santos wrote in his legislative justification.

A similar bill was introduced in the New York City Council in October by Democratic Councilman Shaun Abreu. That proposal would expand New York City’s Earned Safe and Sick Time Act to allow workers to use sick time for pet-related medical care, including preventive care and diagnosing and treating an illness or injury.

De Los Santos’ bill would amend the state Labor Law to allow an employee to take time off for the diagnosis, care or treatment of a physical illness, injury or health condition of, or the need for medical diagnosis or preventative care for an employee’s animal. Covered animals are defined as an animal that is a service animal or an animal kept primarily for companionship in compliance with state law.

The law doesn’t create a new bank of sick time for employees, but it would allow employees to be allowed to take time off to care for their pets. It’s likely already a use for many employees’ sick time, but it’s not regulated. Neither the New York City bill nor De Los Santos’ state proposal have made legislative headway yet, though the state legislative session has only just begun.

“Pet owners consider pets to be a part of their family, something that’s especially true for owners who are younger without children or older without children to care for in the home. Pet ownership can have substantial benefits to our health and mental health, and attentive pet ownership helps the animal live a healthier, happier life. Therefore, making pet ownership easier is a mutual benefit to both the pet and the owner. And so, the ability to care for a pet when ill or in need of a visit to the vet (an appointment that can often be difficult to secure around regular working hours) is also beneficial to that mutual relationship,” De Los Santos wrote in his legislative justification.