
New York State’s Paid Family Leave Expands To Include Siblings
Siblings will now be covered under New York state’s Paid Family Leave Act.
Governor Kathy Hochul signed the legislation on Monday that expands the state’s Family Leave.
Under the current law, employees cannot take leave to care for a sibling with a serious health condition.
Taking care of your family is a basic human right, no one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and a paycheck," Governor Hochul said. "Fighting to expand paid family leave is personal to me and so many others, and I am proud to work with advocates and legislators to make sure that New Yorkers can now take care of their siblings without fear of losing their jobs or income."
The bill builds upon the paid family Leave legislation that was enacted in 2016, which created on of the most comprehensive paid family leave programs in the nation.
New York's Paid Family Leave program is employee-based insurance that provides workers with job-protected, paid time off to bond with a newborn, adopted or foster child, care for a family member with a serious health condition or assist loved one when a family member is deployed abroad on active military duty.
Eligible workers can take up to 12 weeks off at 67-percento of the pay to care for family members in time of need.
The family memebers can live outside of New York state or even outside of the country.
The new legislation goes into effect on January 1, 2023.
The governor say over 100,000 New Yorkers take paid family leave each year.