Timing Is Everything: Tips to Help Employees File Claims for NY Paid Family Leave

Sometimes it doesn't pay to be an early bird. Especially when it comes to filing claims for Paid Family Leave.

Efficient employees may want to get all the paperwork out of the way before they go on leave. For example, in anticipation of a birth or adoption. Or a family member’s scheduled surgery. But filing early can backfire. It can lead to duplicate paperwork or a bumpy claims process. Here's what you need to know to help employees.

The 30-day notice rule only applies to employers, not carriers.

Employees do need to notify their employer at least 30 days in advance for a scheduled leave. But there's no need to inform the insurance carrier before the leave begins.

Timing is everything because things change.

An insurance carrier usually can't make a final decision on a claim until a leave actually begins. Life happens — a lot of things can change right up until the time someone takes leave, including:

  • The actual day the leave begins
  • The amount someone earns in the 8 weeks before leave (which is used to calculate the benefit amount)
  • The duration of the leave
  • Whether an employee takes their leave continuously or intermittently
  • The employee's employment status
  • The amount of sick leave/PTO someone may be eligible to receive during the same time

When employees file early, the insurance carrier will likely need to reconfirm information before making a claim decision. That can lead to repetitive work for everyone.

3 Tips for Employees Who Like to Plan Ahead

Employees can lay the groundwork for their leave and feel prepared by:

  1. Getting familiar with the PFL forms. That way, they'll be ready to submit the information when the leave begins.
  2. If employees plan to file using paper forms, they can print in advance and fill out the basic info that's not likely to change.
  3. Marking their calendars with reminders to:
    1. Notify their employer 30 days before their scheduled leave. But for unplanned leave, it's ok to give notice as soon as practical, typically within a couple of days.
    2. Submit the claim to the insurance carrier when the leave begins, to ensure payment is as timely as possible.

Timing is important but great support matters even more. The Standard will always be here for your employees to help them through the claims process. Whether they're early birds or file right on schedule when leave begins, they can count on us.

 

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.

 

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