**Legislative Update (1/2/19): On December 28, 2018, Governor Andrew Cuomo vetoed bill “S8380” to add 12 weeks bereavement to New York’s Paid Family Leave as a qualifying leave event. Governor Cuomo provides rationale for this decision in his veto message, Veto #372.**
Both the Senate and the State Assembly passed bill “S8380A” last week, which is proposing to add bereavement as a qualifying leave event to NY’s Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits effective 2020. The current bill would allow for taking bereavement leave up to the same maximum benefit as for other qualifying events, which is scheduled to reach 10 weeks at 60% of the employee’s average weekly wage, capped at 60% of NY’s Average Weekly Wage (NYSAWW) in 2020. Based on the current NYSAWW* of $1,305.92 this would come out to a maximum benefit of $783.55 per week. And this leave could be taken any time within the 52-week period from the death of the relative.
Does this mean “it's official”? Will bereavement leave be part of PFL come 2020?
No, the legislative process is not yet complete until it is signed into law.
So, what’s next?
Next, the bill needs to go to the Governor for signature. It remains to be seen what will happen when the bill gets to the Governor’s desk.
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*NY Department of Labor releases the updated NYSAWW on or about every March 31.
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