New York governor touts taxpayer-funded prenatal leave law

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is touting a new taxpayer-funded law that goes into effect next month making the state the first in the nation to offer paid leave to pregnant mothers.

Hochul launched a campaign this week to let New Yorkers know about the state's new paid prenatal leave policy that goes into effect Jan. 1. The policy will allow pregnant employees to take 20 hours of paid leave for a long list of pregnancy-related doctor visits.

"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,” Hochul said in a statement.

Under the plan, coverage under the program is automatic and employees won't have to apply for additional sick time. Employers will be mandated by law to offer 20 hours of paid leave for expectant mothers in addition to existing sick leave, the Hochul administration said. The policy covers physical examinations, medical procedures, testing, and monitoring, fertility treatment, and abortions, according to the Hochul administration.

The New York State Department of Labor estimates about 130,000 pregnant women a year will be eligible for the new benefit, with about 65,800 of them hourly workers.

State Health Commissioner James McDonald said paid leave for pregnancy-related care "will protect their health, the health and safety of their unborn children and improve health outcomes." He cited data showing infant mortality among New Yorkers was highest for women who had little or no prenatal care because they cannot take time off from work.

The program was approved as part of the $237 billion fiscal year 2025 budget signed by Hochul in April. The spending bill also amends the New York Labor Law to require employers to provide paid break time of 30 minutes for employees to breast-feed their newborn.

New York boasts some of the most generous paid leave programs in the nation. In 2016, the state approved its Paid Family Leave law, providing up to eight weeks, 50% pay in 2018 when the law went into effect and reaching 12 weeks, 67% pay in 2021. Three years ago, Hochul signed legislation expanding the law to include workers who needed time off to care for a seriously ill sibling.

The state also still has a COVID-19 paid leave law in the books, which is set to expire in July. The law entitles employees to paid leave when they are subject to a "mandatory or precautionary" order of quarantine or isolation due to COVID-19 infection. The state's public health emergency was lifted in June 2021, which included quarantine rules.