School's out for summer but we have one last test before school's dismissed!
We’ve collected some of the most commonly-asked and important questions about Paid Family Leave. The year is half over now, which means PFL will be here before we know it. Are you ready? Think you know PFL?
Test your smarts here!
Pop Quiz: Paid Family Leave 101
- True or False: PFL only covers time off for new parents.
- True or False: I can take PFL to take care of my daughter when she has a cold.
- True or False: I just had a baby now, so I can’t take PFL in 2018.
- True or False: PFL pays 50% of my salary when I’m out on leave in 2018.
- True or False: Part-time employees can take PFL.
- True or False: I can keep my health insurance while taking PFL.
- True or False: I can take PFL if I’m sick.
- True or False: I can’t take PFL and statutory short-term disability together.
- True or False: I have worked 5 years at a company, and I’m looking to change jobs in 2018. So, I’ll be eligible for PFL right away in my new job because I have clearly worked more than 26 weeks.
- True or False: If January 2019 falls into my paid leave, my benefit increases based on the 4-year phase-in schedule.
Ready to see your grade? Scroll down for the answer key...
Pop Quiz: Paid Family Leave 101 - Answer Key
Q1: True or False: PFL only covers time off for new parents.
A1: False!Under Paid Family Leave, you certainly can take time off to bond with your new baby, but you can also use Paid Family Leave to spend time with an adopted or foster child, care for a seriously-ill family member, or to attend to family matters due to a qualifying military exigency.
Q2: True or False: I can take PFL to take care of my daughter when she has a cold.
A2: False! To qualify for Paid Family Leave, the person you’re caring for must have a serious health condition. The common cold, the flu, ear aches, and upset stomach, for example, are conditions that are not considered serious. Other examples include routine exams and “treatments” that can be initiated without visiting a health care provider.
Q3: True or False: I just had a baby now, so I can’t take PFL in 2018.
A3: False! Under Paid Family Leave, you can take time off to bond as soon as 2018 starts, even if your child was born in 2017. That means, you have from 1/1/18 until your baby’s first birthday to use Paid Family Leave and catch up on bonding with your little one.
Q4: True or False: PFL pays 50% of my salary when I’m out on leave in 2018.
A4: False! Your weekly benefit is 50% of your “average weekly wage” as defined in Article 9 (AWW) capped at 50% of New York State’s Average Weekly Wage (NYSAWW). That means, if you earn more than the current NYSAWW of $1,305.92 your maximum benefit is capped at $653/week. For example, if you make $2,000 per week, your Paid Family Leave benefit will be $653 (not $1,000); and if you make $1,000 per week, your Paid Family Leave benefit will be $500 (not $653).
NY Department of Labor releases the updated NYSAWW every March 31
Q5: True or False: Part-time employees can take PFL.
A5: True! Under Paid Family Leave, part-time employees become eligible for PFL benefits as soon as they have completed 175 work days for their current employer.
Q6: True or False: I can keep my health insurance while taking PFL.
A6: True! Employers are required to maintain your health care coverage as though you were not on leave.
Q7: True or False: I can take PFL if I’m sick.
A7: False. Paid Family Leave is not for your own sickness but allows you to care for a seriously ill family member, bond with your new child, or attend to family matters due to a qualifying military exigency. Statutory short-term disability (DBL) is what you would take for your own sickness of disability.
Q8: True or False: I can’t take PFL and statutory short-term disability together.
A8: True. If you’re eligible for both, you can take them in sequence, but not for a period that exceeds 26 weeks in a consecutive 52-week period.
Q9: True or False: I have worked 5 years at a company, and I’m looking to change jobs in 2018. So, I’ll be eligible for PFL right away in my new job because I have clearly worked more than 26 weeks.
A9: False. If you change jobs, your qualification period always starts over. It goes based on the time you have been at your then current employer, not the time you’ve been in the workforce.
Q10: True or False: If January 2019 falls into my paid leave, my benefit increases based on the 4-year phase-in schedule.
A10: False. The benefit amount that is in effect at the time your leave began applies to the full duration of your paid leave for that event, even if a new calendar year with increased benefit levels falls within that period.
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This blog post is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal counsel. Please consult with an appropriate professional for legal and compliance advice. Any PFL information is as of the blog post’s date stamp; it is based on the applicable statutes and regulation, and may change as regulations evolve or NY State issues guidance regarding Paid Family Leave regulations. Have more questions? Email us at pflquestions@shelterpoint.com