What is Paid Family Leave?

Many New York workers qualify for paid time off to take care of their families. "Paid Family Leave" is for:

• Bonding with a newly born, adopted or fostered child,
• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or
• Helping loved ones when a spouse, domestic partner, child or parent is deployed abroad on active military service.

Paid Family Leave is for up to 12 weeks of job-protected time off at 67 percent of your average weekly wage. (But no more than 67 percent of the statewide average weekly wage.) You return to the same job, or a comparable one, after Paid Family Leave. And you can keep your health insurance during Paid Family Leave.

Who qualifies for Paid Family Leave?

• Full-time employees: Employees who work a regular schedule of 20 or more hours per week are eligible after 26 consecutive (in a row) weeks of employment.
• Part-time employees: Employees who work a regular schedule of less than 20 hours per week are eligible after working 175 days, which do not need to be consecutive. Employees with irregular schedules should look at their average schedule to determine if they average fewer than 20 hours per week.

How do I apply for Paid Family Leave?

The New York State website has online instructions, depending on why you need Paid Family Leave.  In general, start by planning your leave:

• Notify your employer at least 30 days before, if you can know when you start. Otherwise, notify them as soon as possible.
• Plan the leave for either all at once or intermittently. Either way, take it in full-day increments.
• If you have more than one job you can take Paid Family Leave from both jobs, but only at the same time.

Go to paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/employees for more information on who qualifies, which type of paid family leave, and what forms to use to apply. 

Call the helpline

For more information, call the Paid Family Leave toll-free helpline Monday-Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm. (844) 337-6303