Diana Limongi, who works at a university in New York City, returned to work four months after giving birth to her daughter last year. This was the maximum amount of time she was able to take — unpaid — through the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. Even though her self-employed husband and her mom helped her out, it didn't feel like enough for the Astoria mother of two.
Now that there's a new paid family leave program in effect in New York state, which gives most workers up to eight weeks of leave to care for a new child, sick loved one, or to assist when a family member is deployed in the military, Limongi is taking advantage of it. "It's a good time for me to be with her," she says of her 10-month-old daughter Sofia, who, between teething and being breastfed, needs a lot of care right now.
What is New York's new paid family leave law?
Enacted in 2016, New York's law provides private-sector and eligible public-sector employees up to eight weeks of partially paid leave. This wage is set to increase from 50% to 55% in 2019, 60% in 2020, and 67% in 2021. It's capped at $652.96 a week. The law allows workers to care for a newborn, adopted, or foster child; care for a seriously ill or injured loved one; or assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad.
read from sorce : http://www.refinery29.com/2018/01/186651/new-york-state-paid-family-leave
