Resources Help New York State Employers Prep for Paid Leave
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed this into law in 2016. Nearly all private employees in New York State will be eligible for paid family leave starting Jan. 1.
Authorities in New York State have posted a variety of online resources to help employers and workers prepare for what the state calls the nation's strongest paid family leave policy. Beginning Jan. 1, 2018, the New York State Paid Family Leave Program will provide New Yorkers job-protected paid leave to bond with a new child, care for a loved one with a serious health condition, or to help relieve family pressures when someone is called to active military service.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed this into law in 2016. Nearly all private employees in New York State will be eligible for paid family leave starting Jan. 1.
Insurance coverage for paid family leave benefits generally will be added to an employer's existing disability benefits policy; paid family leave coverage is funded by employee payroll contributions. Employers can use ny.gov/pflcalculator to get an estimate of an employee's weekly deduction.
Eligible employees are guaranteed:
- paid time off for 8 weeks in 2018, increasing to 12 weeks by 2021
- job protection upon return from paid family leave
- continuation of health insurance while out on paid family leave
An Employers' Checklist is available here. It says they should ensure they have paid family leave coverage; should post a workforce notice in a conspicuous place, a notice that is available from the employer's insurance carrier (an employer that is self-insured can get this notice by contacting the Workers' Compensation Board at [email protected]); should inform their employees about paid family leave; and should update their payroll processes.