Wednesday, July 19, 2017

New Yorkers Can Begin Taking Paid Family Leave on January 1, 2018


Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced that the state has adopted regulations implementing New York's landmark Paid Family Leave program. These regulations outline the responsibilities of employers and insurance carriers in implementing the most comprehensive paid family leave program in the nation.

Starting January 1, 2018, Paid Family Leave will provide employees with wage replacement and job protection to help them bond with a child, care for a close relative with a serious health condition, or help relieve family pressures when someone is deployed abroad on active military service. Employees are also entitled to be reinstated to their job when their leave ends and to the continuation of their health insurance during their leave.

"There is a time in everyone's lives where being there for a loved one in need is more important than anything and - finally - New Yorkers will no longer have to choose between losing their job and being a decent human being," Governor Cuomo said. "By enacting and implementing the strongest paid family leave program in the nation, this administration is taking yet another step forward to providing economic justice to all New Yorkers."

Private employers must secure Paid Family Leave insurance coverage or self-insure in time to provide coverage on January 1, 2018. Paid Family Leave premiums will be funded by employees through payroll deductions.

The regulations address eligibility, coverage, the phase-in schedule for Paid Family Leave, and more information on how employees, employers, and insurance carriers will interact to pay benefits. The Workers' Compensation Board regulations implementing Paid Family Leave are available here. The Department of Financial Services implementing regulations for insurance companies, adopted on May 31, 2017, are available here.

Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul said, "By establishing the nation's most comprehensive paid family leave program, New York State stands with working and middle-class families who should not have to make the choice between earning a paycheck and caring for a sick child or ailing parent. Employers and employees alike will benefit greatly and should take advantage of a policy that once again establishes New York as a model for others to follow."

Workers' Compensation Board Chair Kenneth J. Munnelly said, "These regulations will help successfully implement this historic program and give employers and employees ample time to prepare for its arrival. With its strong Paid Family Leave program, New York State is forging a path forward and improving the lives of New York's hard working families."

 For more information, visit the Paid Family Leave website at www.ny.gov/programs/new-york-state-paid-family-leave. The public can also call the Paid Family Leave helpline at (844) 337-6303 with any questions.

Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo

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