New York: Paid Family Leave Expansion

The New York state legislature has approved a measure “that would expand access to the current New York Paid Family Leave benefit to employees experiencing bereavement due to the death of a family member”.

The “Living Donor Protection Act” was also passed, which would provide Paid Family Leave benefits to employees who receive organ or tissue donations.

Under the current law, employees may use the paid family leave benefit to “bond with a newly born, adopted, or fostered child; care for a close relative with a serious health condition; or assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service”.

The expansion would allow employees “to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave at 67 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage, capped at 67 percent of the state average weekly wage”.

Jackson Lewis points out that once the legislation reaches the Governor for his signature, he can take one of three actions:

The Governor has three options when the legislation is sent to him. He can choose to veto, sign the legislation into law, or negotiate amendments made contingent to his signing the bill that may add clarity to the statute for both employers and disability benefit providers who sell disability and paid family leave coverage.

If signed by the Governor, the acts will go into effect January 1, 2020.

For more details, please click here.


The information included in this blog post originally appeared in a publication from Jackson Lewis on July 13, 2018, written by Lisa M. Marrello and Kevin M. Bronner, Jr.

bereavement

Learn More About Our HR Related Services