New York maternity leave and paid family leave

WCB says DBL pays a pregnant worker for 4 weeks before the due date and 6 weeks after birth (8 weeks after a C-section). It can extend up to 26 weeks with documentation from your provider. PFL bonding starts after birth and can't be paid at the same time as DBL. New York Paid Family Leave (PFL) and Disability Benefits Law (DBL) short-term disability pays up to 12 weeks to bond with your baby. The legal maximum for your own health condition is 26 weeks, and medical and family leave together are capped at 26 weeks a year.

PFL (bonding): 67% of your average weekly wage, up to 67% of the NY State average weekly wage: max $1,228.53/week in 2026. DBL (your own pregnancy/childbirth disability): 50% of your average weekly wage for the last 8 weeks worked, max only $170/week. The weekly maximum in 2026 is $1,229, a ceiling rather than a typical benefit.

PFL is job-protected: after PFL you're entitled to your same or a comparable job with the same benefits and pay. The law sets no employer-size test; the 26-week/175-day eligibility rule applies. DBL time for your own pregnancy or childbirth recovery has no job protection under the DBL law, so federal FMLA (50+ employees, 12 months, 1,250 hours) is the main protection for that period. NY law also bars retaliation for taking legally protected absences.

PFL: you must be employed by a covered NY employer, working 20+ hours/week for 26 consecutive weeks or fewer than 20 hours/week for 175 days worked. Most private employers must carry DBL and PFL. Public employers and self-employed people can opt in. Construction workers under a CBA get an alternative test starting in 2027. DBL: eligible after 4 consecutive weeks with a covered employer, and you must be under the care of a physician, certified nurse midwife or other listed provider. Claims go through your employer's insurance carrier, not the state.

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives eligible workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for a birth and to care for the newborn, or for their own serious health condition, including pregnancy complications and recovery from childbirth. Health coverage continues during leave, and you return to the same or an equivalent job.