New York Paid Family Leave (NY PFL)
Most companies that have one or more employees in New York are considered a “covered employer” and are required to have Paid Family Leave insurance. If you’re not sure if this applies to you, we recommend contacting your broker or insurance carrier to confirm. New York’s Paid Family Leave (NY PFL) program was enacted in 2016 and went into effect on January 1, 2018. It allows eligible employees to take paid time off work to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member, or assist when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service.
Who is eligible for NY PFL?
Most full-time employees working in New York state are eligible for Paid Family Leave benefits if they work a regular schedule of 20+ hours a week after 26 consecutive weeks of employment. Part-time employees who work a regular schedule of less than 20 hours per week become eligible after working 175 days (which do not need to be consecutive).
What are the covered leave reasons under NY PFL?
Eligible employees can take paid time off for:
• Bonding with a newborn, adopted, or fostered child within the first 12 months
• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition
• Assisting loved ones when a spouse, child, domestic partner, or parent is deployed on active military service to a foreign country
How much time can employees take under NY PFL?
In 2024, eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of job-protected paid leave per year.
How much will employees receive from NY PFL?
NY PFL provides partial wage replacement during leave. In 2024, employees can receive up to 67% of their average weekly wage, up to a cap of 67% of the New York State Average Weekly Wage. For 2024, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,151.16. To view an estimate of an employee’s weekly benefit, you can use New York’s 2024 wage benefit calculator.
Employer compliance considerations for NY PFL
Here’s what employers in New York need to keep in mind for leave compliance:
• Obtain PFL coverage and pay premiums
• Post a Notice of Compliance in plain view
• Notify employees about PFL benefits (typically included in a handbook and leave documentation)
• Allow eligible employees to file timely leave requests
• Provide employees with required forms to file PFL claims
• Notify employees of their responsibility for continuing to pay their share of health insurance premiums during leave
How do employees apply for benefits?
If your HR team uses Cocoon, employees can kick off the leave request process (including eligibility determination, claims filing assistance, and leave pay estimates) directly in their Dashboard. If not, employees need to notify their employer at least 30 days before the leave starts, if possible. Employees then need to collect all required forms and documentation, and submit to the company’s insurance carrier for review.
