Pop Quiz: Do Your Employees Know These Facts About New York Paid Family Leave?

How well do you think your employees understand New York's Paid Family Leave program? Despite your best efforts to communicate, some may need a back-to-basics lesson in what the program offers and when they can take leave.

Here's a little pop quiz on PFL questions your employees may ask. Plus, two tools to help answer the basics before they even ask:

and PFL flyer.

Q. Who's eligible?

A. Almost every full-time and part-time private employee in New York is eligible for Paid Family Leave. That probably includes your employees, unless they’ve been working for you for less than six months.

Q. What can I use Paid Family Leave for?

A. Paid Family Leave can be used to:

  • Bond with a new child
  • Care for a close relative with a serious health condition
  • Help relieve family pressures when someone is called to active military service

Just remember, PFL is about helping family. Employees can't use it for their own health condition or military service.

Q. Can I take my New York disability benefit and Paid Family Leave at the same time?

A. No, these benefits can never be taken together. In fact, because disability benefits are to care for yourself and PFL is to care for others, employees would rarely qualify for both at the same time. In the case of maternity claims, an employee can take disability leave for pregnancy, followed by PFL for bonding.

Q. What amount of PFL am I eligible to receive and for how long?

A. When an employee is approved for benefits, the amount will be based on a percentage of the employee’s weekly salary and capped at a percentage of the average weekly wage in New York state. For 2018, employees may be eligible to receive 50 percent of their salary for up to eight weeks.

Q. Who pays for the program?

A. The PFL program is generally employee-funded by payroll deductions. Employees may not even notice the small amount that's being deducted from their paychecks.

Q. What does Paid Family Leave offer me?

A. Explain to employees that Paid Family Leave enhances their personal financial safety net. It can help them bounce back to work after approved leaves. Their jobs will be protected and their other benefits including health insurance, will remain in place.

 

Share this

and PFL flyer to help employees understand these basics now.

To find out more about PFL and other regulations that affect employees, follow The Standard on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter with the hashtag #PaidFamilyLeave, and subscribe   to this blog's RSS feed to receive updated content as new information becomes available.

For more details about New York Paid Family Leave, visit: ny.gov/programs/new-york-state-paid-family-leave.

 

More About Paid Family Leave Administration
Paid Family and Medical Leave and Paid Family Leave laws can feel like a moving target. Read about 5 PFML and PFL tips that can help you plan rather than scramble.
Leave laws keep getting more complicated. For employers in Massachusetts, that means you can expect to see complex leave interactions now that the state’s paid family and medical leave program is in effect as of Jan. 1, 2021. Here’s what you need to know about integrating PFML with disability and other leaves.
As more states pass PFML legislation, employers may want to have one blanket policy that covers all employees. But that could lead to compliance risks because each program has its own nuances. See what’s similar — and what’s not.
What a year 2020 was, right? But with a challenging year comes great learning — and we've learned a lot. We want to carry that momentum into 2021 by bringing you even more helpful content, starting with the challenges facing employers planning for PFML.
We found that 60% of employers don't feel very well prepared to administer their new state-mandated paid leave program.* Here are quick insights and resources to help you get ready. Plus, check out our recent PFML webinar for employers.
The State of Washington’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave program goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020. Employers need to understand their responsibilities before, during and after the start of the new year. Here’s what Washington employers need to know.
Start prepping now for 2020 changes to New York’s Paid Family Leave program. This will be the third year on the state’s four-year schedule for phasing in benefits. Here’s what you need to know and some tips to get ready.