New York’s Paid Family Leave program may be getting more generous.

Legislation (A.8465) was introduced before the start of the 2024 legislative session that would increase the amount of family leave time allowed under New York’s program to 26 weeks and allow for 100% wage replacement.

“Increasing the amount of paid family leave time from 12 to 26 weeks and allowing for 100% wage replacement can have several important benefits including supporting the well-being and health of families, promoting gender equality, and bolstering employee retention and morale,” wrote sponsor Phara Souffrant Forrest, D-Brooklyn, in her legislative justification.

The state’s current Paid Family Leave program provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service. This time can be taken all at once, or in increments of full days.

Those who have children can take Paid Family Leave any time within the first 12 months after a child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement as long as the employee remains an eligible, covered employee.

Employees taking Paid Family Leave receive 67% of their average weekly wage, up to a cap of 67% of the current state average weekly wage. The 2024 weekly maximum Paid Family Leave benefit is $1,151.16.

Those benefits, Forrest wrote, are insufficient.

“Firstly, it supports the well-being and health of families by allowing parents to bond with their newborns or newly adopted children. This crucial time helps establish strong parent-child relationships and promotes the child’s development. New York currently allows 12 weeks which is an insufficient amount of time to develop the crucial bond between parent and child,” she wrote. “Moreover, paid family leave promotes gender equality by enabling both mothers and fathers to take time off work to care for their families. This helps reduce the burden of caregiving primarily falling on women and encourages shared responsibilities between parents. Additionally, paid family leave contributes to employee retention and morale. When employees can take time off without significant financial strain, they are more likely to return to work and remain committed to their jobs. This benefits both employees and employers by fostering a positive work-life balance and increasing productivity. Overall, implementing 26 weeks of paid family leave recognizes the importance of family well-being, gender equality, and employee satisfaction, offering numerous advantages for individuals, families, and society as a whole.”

New York’s Paid Family Leave paid for by employees through payroll deductions. Even For 2024, employees will contribute 0.373% of their gross wages per pay period. The maximum annual contribution for 2024 is $333.25, a decrease of $66.18 from 2023.