NEW YORK — In New York State, people will now be able to take leave from work to care for siblings with serious health conditions under Paid Family Leave.
On Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill that expands New York State's Paid Family Leave. Until now, siblings were not covered under the law.
"Taking care of your family is a basic human right, no one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and a paycheck," Hochul said.
"Fighting to expand paid family leave is personal to me and so many others, and I am proud to work with advocates and legislators to make sure that New Yorkers can now take care of their siblings without fear of losing their jobs or income."
Hochul shared at the press conference how when she had a baby and she had to decide to stop working and stay home, something she had not originally planned on doing, despite her family's need for the money she was making.
“And I understood then, how much this is a basic human right to be able to take care of your newborn, or your adopted child, or your family members when they are in desperate need of someone to just hold their hand,” Hochul said.
Paid Family Leave has been in effect since 2018 and is employee-paid insurance that provides protects, paid time off to care for a newborn, bond with adopted or foster children, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to assist a family when a relative is deployed abroad on active military service.
Paid Family Leave can be used to care for someone with COVID-19 and may be available if the employee or their minor, dependent child is quarantined because of COVID-19.
The current law covered caring for spouses, domestic partners, children and step-children, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, and grandchildren with serious health conditions. The new legislation expands the definition of family members to include siblings.
AARP New York has been a big proponent of paid family leave since it's inception.
"It helps all New Yorkers age with dignity and independence at home and that is uppermost for AARP New York. We want people 50 plus to be able to have productive, economically safe lives but at the same time be able to care for their loved ones and this is a great step forward and we can't thank Governor Hochul enough that siblings are also included in this wonderful law," said AARP NY Spokesperson Beth Finkel.
The bill will go into effect on Jan. 1.