December 2024: Looking for information on New York State Paid Prenatal Leave? Please note this is a separate program from NYSIF short-term disability or NYSIF paid family leave. Visit the the program's website for full details.
What is Paid Family Leave?
New York's Paid Family Leave (PFL) program provides workers with up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid leave to:
- Bond with a new child (employees can take PFL during the first 52 weeks following the birth, adoption or fostering of a child) OR
- Care for a loved one with a serious health condition (employees can take PFL to care for a close family member; eligible family includes spouse, domestic partner, child/stepchild, parent/stepparent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling) OR
- Assist when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service (employees can take PFL when they need to assist with family situations when a spouse, domestic partner, child or parent is on active service in a foreign country or has been notified of an impending call or order of active service to a foreign country)
How much is the benefit?
In 2025, employees taking Paid Family Leave will receive 67% of their average weekly wage, up to a cap of 67% of the current Statewide Average Weekly Wage of $1,757.19. The maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $1,177. Employees with a regular work schedule of 20 or more hours per week are eligible after 26 weeks of employment.
In 2024, employees taking Paid Family Leave receive 67% of their average weekly wage, up to a cap of 67% of the current Statewide Average Weekly Wage of $1,718.15. The maximum weekly benefit for 2024 is $1,151.16.
Who is eligible?
- Employees with a regular work schedule of 20 or more hours per week are eligible after 26 weeks of employment.
- Employees with a regular work schedule of less than 20 hours per week are eligible after 175 days worked.
- Employees are eligible regardless of citizenship and/or immigration status.
How much does it cost?
PFL is funded through employee payroll deductions. For 2025, per the Department of Financial Services, the PFL payroll contribution rate will be 0.388% of an employee's weekly wage and is capped at an annual maximum of $354.53. Employees earning less than the New York State Average Weekly Wage ($1,757.19 per week) will have an annual contribution amount less than the cap of $354.53, consistent with their actual weekly wages.
For 2024, per the Department of Financial Services, the PFL payroll contribution rate is 0.373% of an employee's weekly wage and is capped at an annual maximum of $333.25. Employees earning less than the New York State Average Weekly Wage ($1,718.15 per week) will have an annual contribution amount less than the cap of $333.25, consistent with their actual weekly wages.
How do I file a PFL claim?
The best time to submit your PFL claim to NYSIF is on the very first day your leave starts.
Before you apply:
- Plan your leave (time can be taken all at once or in increments of full days).
- Notify your employer at least 30 days before the start of your leave, if possible.
- Before submitting your claim to NYSIF, please check to be sure NYSIF is your employer’s insurance carrier.
Then:
- Complete your forms.
- Everyone must complete Request for Paid Family Leave (Form PFL-1)
- Complete the appropriate additional forms depending on the type of leave you are requesting:
- Bond with a child: Bonding Certification (Form PFL-2)
- Care for a sick family member: Release of Personal Health Information (Form PFL-3), Health Care Provider Certification (Form PFL-4).
- Military Leave: Military Qualifying Event (Form PFL-5)
- Attach any additional required documentation (e.g. birth certificate, adoption records, marriage certificate, active duty orders, etc.)
- Submit your forms to NYSIF using one of the methods below. Submit your completed request within 30 days after the first day of your leave to avoid losing benefits.
- Fax: 518.437.5201
- Email: to DBClaims@nysif.com
- Mail: NYSIF, PO Box 66699, Albany, NY 12206
NYSIF will accept or deny claims within 18 days of receipt of your completed PFL form(s). You do not need to wait for this decision to start your leave. Keep a copy of each submitted form for your records.
Additional Resources
- COVID-19 Claims
-
Paid Family Leave may be available in some situations when an employee or their minor, dependent child is under an order of quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 and are unable to work.
If your employer is a NYSIF policyholder and you are
unable to work because:Then please you contracted COVID-19 away from work and were subject to an order of quarantine or isolation for dates after 1/1/21, OR subject to an order of quarantine or isolation for COVID-19 exposure for dates after 1/1/21 file disability benefits/PFL form SCOVID with NYSIF your minor child is under an order of mandatory or precautionary quarantine or isolation for COVID-19 issued by a governmental entity (e.g. Department of Health) file disability benefits/PFL form CCOVID with NYSIF
you are caring for a family member who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 file PFL form PFL-CARE with NYSIF - Taxability
- Claimants who have received PFL benefits from NYSIF will receive a 1099-G form by January 31 each year. Box 1 of the 1099-G will provide the claimant's total PFL benefit payments for the previous year. Claimants must report this amount as income at the time of tax filing. If multiple PFL claims have been filed by the same claimant, NYSIF will issue separate 1099-Gs for each claim.
- PFL Waiver
- If an employee does not expect to work long enough to qualify for PFL (a seasonal worker, for example), the employee may opt out of PFL by completing the Waiver of Benefits Form and submitting it to the employer.