I reside in New York State and are currently furloughed from my job of nearly 15 years due to covid 19.

No. If that were the law then very few would return to work. If you can find a job elsewhere which pays more take that. Otherwise return to work or get advice from employment lawyers possibly about why it might not be safe to return with solid proof to back that up. But only if that is true under very limited and very narrow circumstances. Going that route could result in a permanent job loss, depending on your job and your particular employer, if not handled and documented properly.