With the state’s new Paid Family Leave program set to begin in January 2018, the state Workers’ Compensation Board and the Department of Financial Services filed their regulations for implementation of the new Paid Family Leave law. The new regulations will provide guidance for employers, employees and insurance carriers about their responsibilities and rights under the law.
Paid family leave will be available for three major categories: care for a newborn, care for a family member with a serious medical condition or providing care while a family member is away for military service.
A new website provides information on medical documentation required for taking the leave.
http://www.ny.gov/paidfamilyleave
Workers are expected to provide employers 30 days notice with a request for paid family leave unless an unexpected medical situation developed.
The program opens on January 1, 2018 and employees who have worked for at least 26 weeks with their employer on a full time basis or 175 days on a part-time basis. Employees are able to take up to eight weeks off at 50% of their salary. The benefit will be phased in over four years when employees are eligible to take up to 12 weeks off in 2021. In 2019 and 2020, employees can take up to 10 weeks off.
The program was passed last year by the State Legislature and provides some of the most generous benefits of those states which have similar laws.
