Family Employment Benefits
DISCLAIMER: This is a brief overview and a starting point. Please do your due diligence going forward — this is only what I have learned.
FMLA –The Family and Medical Leave Act
By law, eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for new children or seriously ill family members or to recover from their own serious health condition.
The employees' group health benefits are maintained during their leave.
When an employee returns to work, they must be restored to the same or virtually identical position.
To meet eligibility criteria, the employee must have worked:
For a covered employer (The list includes all public agencies, public and private elementary and secondary schools, and companies with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius)
12 months for their current employer
1,250 hours during the 12 months before the start of leave
For Additional Information on FMLA or To File A Complaint:
Call toll-free number 1-866-4-USWAGE (1-866-487-9243), TDY: 1-877-889-5627
PFL - Paid Family Leave
PFL provides paid time off, allowing eligible employees to receive a portion of their regular salary while on leave for qualifying family and medical purposes.
Most programs are funded by employee and/or employer payroll taxes.
New York's program is different because employers are required to purchase paid leave coverage from private insurers.
Contact your Human Resources department to learn more.
As of August 2024, 13 states and the District of Columbia have mandatory paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs:
