Resources Available for New York's Paid Family Leave

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s landmark Paid Family Leave launches tomorrow. New Yorkers will have job-protected, paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or help relieve family pressures when a loved one is called to active military service abroad. There are many resources available to help employees and employers understand this great benefit. Visit ny.gov/PaidFamilyLeave to access:

• Paid Family Leave Forms: Download all the forms needed to request Paid Family Leave or waive coverage.
• Frequently Asked Questions: Get answers to questions on benefits, funding, eligibility, taking Paid Family Leave, and more.
• Model Language for Written Materials: Access language on Paid Family Leave that employers can customize and print to use for handbooks and other written guidance for employees.
• Downloadable Guides: View fact sheets and FAQs that will help answer questions about Paid Family Leave and how it’s applied.
• Payroll Deduction Calculator: Calculate weekly payroll deductions with this easy-to-use tool.
• Employer and Employee Recorded Presentations: View presentations for employees and employers explaining Paid Family Leave, including the three uses of Paid Family Leave, benefits, eligibility and the request process.
• Notices: Employers can download a template for notifying employees of payroll deductions and an Employee Statement of Rights.

About Paid Family Leave

Starting January 1, 2018, almost all employees who work for private employers in New York will have access to Paid Family Leave -- an employee-funded insurance policy that provides job-protected, paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a sick family member, or help relieve pressures when a family member is called to active military service abroad. Benefits phase in over four years. In 2018, employees can take up to eight weeks of paid time off at 50% of their average weekly wage (AWW), capped at 50% of the New York State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW). By 2021, employees will be able to take up to 12 weeks at 67% of their AWW, capped at 67% of the SAWW.

For more information on Paid Family Leave, visit ny.gov/PaidFamilyLeave or call the Paid Family Leave Helpline at (844) 337-6303.