Since first launching in 2018, New York State Paid Family Leave (PFL) has provided critical benefits to improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of working New Yorkers and their families. As the Board looks ahead to 2024, there are exciting updates to share!
New! 2024 employee contribution rate and weekly benefit
Good news! Employees will be paying less for PFL in 2024. The employee contribution rate will decrease to 0.373% of an employee’s gross wages each pay period, capped at an annual maximum of $333.25. This is $66.18 less than 2023. Employers may begin taking deductions at the new rate starting January 1, 2024.
Additionally, the maximum weekly benefit for employees taking PFL will rise to $1,151.16 for leave that begins on or after January 1, 2024. This is about $20 more per week than 2023.
Employer resources
New York State has a created several resources to help employers communicate Paid Family Leave updates to your employees.
- Model Language for Employee Materials – Updated for 2024 – provides model language you can use, either in an employee handbook or other written materials, and customize based on your PFL policies and procedures.
- Employee Notice of Paid Family Leave Payroll Deduction for 2024 – a template you can use to tell employees what their expected payroll deduction will be.
- Statement of Rights for Paid Family Leave – outlines employees’ PFL rights and steps to apply.
- PFL At-A-Glance – provides a snapshot of the benefit, along with information on who can request PFL and how.
New York State offers complete details on PFL at PaidFamilyLeave.ny.gov, including a special page with updates for 2024, where you’ll find the above employer resources along with frequently asked questions and other information. You can also view the employer page of the website for additional resources.
Employer webinars
In October, the NYS Workers’ Compensation Board hosted a Paid Family Leave webinar for employers and HR professionals. If you weren’t able to attend, you can view the recording or access the slides.
On Tuesday, December 12 at 12:00pm, the Board will be hosting a Q&A webinar for employers and HR professionals, where we’ll review the most frequently asked questions, and leave time to answer questions live. More information, and the link to join, is on the webinar page.