Governor Hochul revs up campaign to spread awareness on New York’s first-in-nation paid parental leave policy, which takes effect January 1
ALBANY, NY- Governor Kathy Hochul has kicked-off a statewide campaign to raise awareness of New York’s first-in-the-nation paid prenatal leave policy, which takes effect on January 1, 2025.
This nation-leading policy, proposed in Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State and signed into law in April, gives workers the ability to take paid leave for any pregnancy-related medical appointments.
“No pregnant woman in New York should be forced to choose between a paycheck and a check-up — and that’s why I pushed to create the nation’s first paid prenatal leave policy,” Governor Hochul said.
In the past year, the Governor has enacted polices to invest $1.8 billion in child care, delivering $2.3 billion in property tax relief, brokering a landmark affordable housing deal and more, according to her office.
Effective January 1, 2025, any privately employed pregnant New Yorker will now be able to receive an additional 20 hours of paid sick leave for prenatal care.
The New York State Department of Labor estimates that about 130,000 pregnant women per year will be eligible for this benefit, with about 65,800 of those being hourly workers.
Pregnancy-related health care includes:
- Physical examinations
- Medical procedures
- Monitoring
- Testing
- Discussions with a health care provider needed to ensure a healthy pregnancy
- Fertility treatment
- End of pregnancy care
“Governor Hochul’s unwavering commitment to protecting pregnant workers in New York is critical to ensuring access to quality care throughout their pregnancy. Giving pregnant people paid leave for pregnancy-related care will protect their health, the health and safety of their unborn children and improve health outcomes,” said New York State Health Commissioner James McDonald.
Image via the office of New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
