In New York, which accounts for the 2^nd highest coronavirus death rate in the country at 225 deaths per 100,000 residents, even while dramatically underreporting COVID nursing home deaths, the state Department of Labor last week issued guidance ordering that if an employer requires an employee to stay home for fear that the employee has been exposed to COVID-19, the employer must pay the employee until he/she can return to work or obtains and order of quarantine. Further, during that time the employee could not be charged with PTO or sick leave or NY paid COVID-19 sick pay. In addition, the guidance goes on to state that where an employee returns to work after having been quarantined pursuant to an order and test positive for a 2^nd or 3^rd time, the employer must pay the New York COVID-19 sick pay. This would also hold true if an employee out of work on quarantine test positive after having served the mandatory quarantine period. The order comes just days after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced with much fanfare that New York City restaurants would be allowed to open for indoor dining up to 25% of capacity on Valentine’s Day.