What's New for 2022
Since first launching in 2018, New York State Paid Family Leave has provided critical benefits to improve the lives of tens of thousands of working New Yorkers and their families.
After a successful four-year phase-in, New York State Paid Family Leave is now fully realized, with benefits at their target levels. Read on to learn how Paid Family Leave may be able to help you and your family in 2022.
Up to 12 Weeks of Leave
New York State Paid Family Leave provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of job protected, paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service. This time can be taken all at once, or in increments of full days.
Paid Family Leave may also 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. (See the COVID-19 quarantine leave page for full details.)
At 67% of Pay (Up to a Cap)
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 (SAWW). For 2022, the SAWW is $1,594.57, which means the maximum weekly benefit is $1,068.36. This is $96.75 more than the maximum weekly benefit for 2021.
*The weekly PFL benefit is capped at $1,068.36 (67% of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage).
Same Strong Protections
Employees can take leave to care for their family members knowing New York has their backs. With some of the nation’s strongest worker protections, New York State Paid Family Leave guarantees that:
Employees have job protection, ensuring they can return to the same job (or a comparable one) when they return from Paid Family Leave.
Employees can keep their health insurance while on leave on the same terms they had while working.
Employers are prohibited from discriminating or retaliating against employees for requesting or taking Paid Family Leave.
And as New York continues to look out for some of our most vulnerable workers, citizenship is never a factor in eligibility for New York Paid Family Leave.
Fully Funded by Employees
New York State Paid Family Leave is insurance that may be funded by employees through payroll deductions. The contribution remains at just over half of one percent of an employee’s gross wages each pay period. The maximum annual contribution for 2022 is $423.71.
Employees earning less than the current Statewide Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) of $1,594.57 will contribute less than the annual cap of $423.71, consistent with their actual wages.
Here are some contribution and benefit examples at different income levels:
Employees earning $519 a week (about $27,000 a year) will pay about $2.65 per week: $519 x 0.511%. When taking the benefit, these employees will receive $347.73 per week, up to a maximum total benefit of $4,172.76.
Employees earning $1,000 a week ($52,000 a year) will pay $5.11 per week: $1,000 x 0.511 %. When taking the benefit, these employees will receive $670 per week, up to a maximum total benefit of $8,040.
Employees earning the SAWW of $1,594.57 (about $83,000 a year) or more will pay 0.511% x their gross wages each pay period until they reach the maximum of $423.71. When taking the benefit, these employees will receive $1,068.36 per week, up to a maximum total benefit of $12,820.32.
For more information or assistance on Paid Family Leave, see the frequently asked questions and employer resources, below. You can also call the Paid Family Leave Helpline at 844.337.6303 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
For a list of Frequent Asked Questions, please visit: https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/2022
To help our customers, a newly updated Paid Family Leave Statement of Rights, updated December 2021 is included in our 2022 New York and Federal Combined Workplace Poster, which also includes the 2022 minimum wage notice.
