New York state officials announced on Tuesday a record number of 163,124 paid family leave claims in 2022. This marks the highest figure since the program’s inception in 2018. “Our nation-leading paid family leave program is a testament to our efforts to make New York the most worker-friendly state in the nation,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. The program, initially approved by then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo, has seen consistent increases in participation, with a temporary decline in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The majority of workers utilized the program to bond with a new child, whether born, adopted, or fostered. The claims for such instances increased from 83,796 in 2018 to 117,851 last year. Since New York’s paid family leave law took effect, almost 717,000 claims have been paid out across the state, marking a significant expansion from 2016 when only 13% of workers nationwide had access to such a program.
Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon hailed the program’s positive impact on gender pay gaps and emphasized its role in providing necessary time for workers to care for their family members. She expressed hope that more New Yorkers would benefit from this leading program, celebrating the fact that New Yorkers are increasingly taking advantage of it.
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