N.Y. Public Officers Law Section 63
Leave of absence for veterans on Memorial day and Veterans’ day

It shall be the duty of the head of every public department and of every court of the state of New York, of every superintendent or foreperson on the public works of said state, of the county officers of the several counties of said state, of the town officers of the various towns in this state, of the fire district officers of the various fire districts in this state, and of the head of every department, bureau and office in the government of the various cities and villages in this state, and the officers of any public benefit corporation or any public authority of this state, or of any public benefit corporation or public authority of any county or subdivision of this state, to give leave of absence with pay for twenty-four hours on the day prescribed by law as a public holiday for the observance of Memorial day and on the eleventh day of November, known as Veterans’ day, to every person in the service of the state, the county, the town, the fire district, the city or village, the public benefit corporation or public authority of this state, or any public benefit corporation or public authority of any county or subdivision of this state, as the case may be, (i) who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during world war I or world war II, or who was employed by the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a merchant seaman documented by the United States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further to include “near foreign” voyages between the United States and Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of Defense, or who served as a United States civilian employed by the American Field Service and served overseas under United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (a) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or

(b)

has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or

(c)

is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service or who served as a United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas as a result of Pan American’s contract with Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (d) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or

(e)

has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or

(f)

is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time between the dates of June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty and January thirty-first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the Vietnam conflict from the first day of November, nineteen hundred fifty-five to the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or

(ii)

who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States and who was a recipient of the armed forces expeditionary medal, navy expeditionary medal or marine corps expeditionary medal for participation in operations in Lebanon from June first, nineteen hundred eighty-three to December first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven, in Grenada from October twenty-third, nineteen hundred eighty-three to November twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-three, or in Panama from December twentieth, nineteen hundred eighty-nine to January thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety, or

(iii)

who served in the armed forces of a foreign country allied with the United States during world war I or world war II, or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time between June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty and January thirty-first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the Vietnam conflict from the first day of November, nineteen hundred fifty-five to the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or during the period of the Persian Gulf conflict from the second day of August, nineteen hundred ninety to the end of such conflict, or who served on active duty in the army or navy or marine corps or air force or space force or coast guard of the United States, and who (a) was honorably discharged or separated from such service under honorable conditions, or

(b)

has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or

(c)

is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service except where such action would endanger the public safety or the safety or health of persons cared for by the state, in which event such persons shall be entitled to leave of absence with pay on another day in lieu thereof. All such persons who are compensated on a per diem, hourly, semi-monthly or monthly basis, with or without maintenance, shall also be entitled to leave of absence with pay under the provisions of this section and no deduction in vacation allowance or budgetary allowable number of working days shall be made in lieu thereof. A refusal to give such leave of absence to one entitled thereto shall be neglect of duty. * NB Effective until April 1, 2026 * § 63. Leave of absence for veterans on Memorial day and Veterans’ day. It shall be the duty of the head of every public department and of every court of the state of New York, of every superintendent or foreperson on the public works of said state, of the county officers of the several counties of said state, of the town officers of the various towns in this state, of the fire district officers of the various fire districts in this state, and of the head of every department, bureau and office in the government of the various cities and villages in this state, and the officers of any public benefit corporation or any public authority of this state, or of any public benefit corporation or public authority of any county or subdivision of this state, to give leave of absence with pay for twenty-four hours on the day prescribed by law as a public holiday for the observance of Memorial day and on the eleventh day of November, known as Veterans’ day, to every person in the service of the state, the county, the town, the fire district, the city or village, the public benefit corporation or public authority of this state, or any public benefit corporation or public authority of any county or subdivision of this state, as the case may be, (i) who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States during world war I or world war II, or who was employed by the War Shipping Administration or Office of Defense Transportation or their agents as a merchant seaman documented by the United States Coast Guard or Department of Commerce, or as a civil servant employed by the United States Army Transport Service (later redesignated as the United States Army Transportation Corps, Water Division) or the Naval Transportation Service; and who served satisfactorily as a crew member during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one, to August fifteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, aboard merchant vessels in oceangoing, i.e., foreign, intercoastal, or coastwise service as such terms are defined under federal law (46 USCA 10301 & 10501) and further to include “near foreign” voyages between the United States and Canada, Mexico, or the West Indies via ocean routes, or public vessels in oceangoing service or foreign waters and who has received a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and a discharge certificate, or an Honorable Service Certificate/Report of Casualty, from the Department of Defense, or who served as a United States civilian employed by the American Field Service and served overseas under United States Armies and United States Army Groups in world war II during the period of armed conflict, December seventh, nineteen hundred forty-one through May eighth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (a) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or

(b)

has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or

(c)

is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service or who served as a United States civilian Flight Crew and Aviation Ground Support Employee of Pan American World Airways or one of its subsidiaries or its affiliates and served overseas as a result of Pan American’s contract with Air Transport Command or Naval Air Transport Service during the period of armed conflict, December fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-one through August fourteenth, nineteen hundred forty-five, and who (d) was discharged or released therefrom under honorable conditions, or

(e)

has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or

(f)

is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time between the dates of June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty and January thirty-first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the Vietnam conflict from the first day of November, nineteen hundred fifty-five to the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or

(ii)

who served on active duty in the armed forces of the United States and who was a recipient of the armed forces expeditionary medal, navy expeditionary medal or marine corps expeditionary medal for participation in operations in Lebanon from June first, nineteen hundred eighty-three to December first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven, in Grenada from October twenty-third, nineteen hundred eighty-three to November twenty-first, nineteen hundred eighty-three, or in Panama from December twentieth, nineteen hundred eighty-nine to January thirty-first, nineteen hundred ninety, or

(iii)

who served in the armed forces of a foreign country allied with the United States during world war I or world war II, or during the period of the Korean conflict at any time between June twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred fifty and January thirty-first, nineteen hundred fifty-five, or during the period of the Vietnam conflict from the first day of November, nineteen hundred fifty-five to the seventh day of May, nineteen hundred seventy-five, or during the period of the Persian Gulf conflict from the second day of August, nineteen hundred ninety to the end of such conflict, or

(iv)

who served on active duty in the army or navy or marine corps or air force or space force or coast guard or the commissioned corps of the national oceanic and atmospheric administration or the commissioned corps of the public health service of the United States, and who (a) was honorably discharged or separated from such service under honorable conditions, or

(b)

has a qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or

(c)

is a discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans’ services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service except where such action would endanger the public safety or the safety or health of persons cared for by the state, in which event such persons shall be entitled to leave of absence with pay on another day in lieu thereof. All such persons who are compensated on a per diem, hourly, semi-monthly or monthly basis, with or without maintenance, shall also be entitled to leave of absence with pay under the provisions of this section and no deduction in vacation allowance or budgetary allowable number of working days shall be made in lieu thereof. A refusal to give such leave of absence to one entitled thereto shall be neglect of duty. * NB Effective April 1, 2026

Source: Section 63 — Leave of absence for veterans on Memorial day and Veterans' day, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/PBO/63 (updated Dec. 12, 2025; accessed Dec. 13, 2025).

60
Official seals of court of appeals, governor and state departments, divisions and bureaus 61
Investigations by state officers 62
Business in public offices on public holidays 62–A
Leave of absence for certain appointive state officers 63
Leave of absence for veterans on Memorial day and Veterans’ day 64
Payment of expenses of public officers 64–A
Patent policy 66
Interchangeable use of gender neutral and gender specific titles of public offices 66–A
Accident reports kept by police authorities to be open to the inspection of persons interested 67
Fees of public officers 67–A
Fees for certification or exemplification 68
Allowance of additional fees and expenses 68–A
Fees for oath or acknowledgment 69
Fee for administering certain official oaths prohibited 69–A
Interest to be paid and collected on all deposits of public moneys amounting to one thousand dollars or more 70
Accounting for fees 70–A
Fees to be paid by public officers for public advertisements 70–B
Certificate on printed copies of laws 71
Vacations for employees of the state 72
Notices and reports of claims, suits or causes of action to be given to the attorney-general 72–A
Penalty of officer for failure to execute mandate and make return 73
Business or professional activities by state officers and employees and party officers 73–A
Financial disclosure 73–B
Advertisements by elected government officials and candidates made with public funds 74
Code of ethics 74–A
Duty of public officers regarding the physically handicapped 75
Bribery of members of the legislature 75–A
Appearance by a person convicted of a crime of corruption 76
Receiving bribes by members of legislature 77
Unlawful fees and payments 77–A
Members of the legislature liable to forfeiture of office 78
Certification of members, officers and employees 79
Fine in certain cases
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Verified:
Dec. 13, 2025

Last modified:
Dec. 12, 2025

§ 63. Leave of absence for veterans on Mem’l day & Veterans' day's source at nysenate​.gov

Link Style