(December 31, 2017) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the second increase toward a statewide $15 per hour minimum wage and the launch of the nation's strongest paid family leave policy started with the New Year.

Paid Family Leave

On January 1, 2018, New York State began the strongest, most progressive and most comprehensive paid family leave policy in the nation. New Yorkers will be allowed to take job-protected paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a loved one with a serious health condition or help relieve family pressures when a loved one is called to active military service abroad. When fully phased in, New Yorkers will be eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid time off.

Those eligible for paid family leave include:

• Parents during the first 12 months following birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child;

• Caretakers for a sick spouse, domestic partner, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandchild;

• Employees with a spouse, child, domestic partner or parent who has been notified of an order of active military service abroad.

Full-time employees with a regular schedule of 20 or more hours per week will be eligible for Paid Family Leave after 26 consecutive weeks of employment. Part-time employees with a regular schedule of less than 20 hours per week can apply for Paid Family Leave after working 175 days for their employer.

Additional information on New York State's Paid Family Leave law, along with numerous resources for employers and workers, can be found on the Paid Family Leave website at https://www.ny.gov/programs/new-york-state-paid-family-leave#_blank. The public is also encouraged to call the Paid Family Leave helpline at (844) 337-6303 with any questions.

$15 Minimum Wage

Minimum wage increases are calculated based on where an individual works, by industry, and, in some cases, the size business. It is estimated that more than 2.3 million people will be positively impacted by the increase in the minimum wage statewide.

On December 31, 2017, the minimum wage rates in Upstate New York (not including Westchester, Suffolk, Nassau Counties and New York City) increased to: $10.40. The minimum wage for fast food workers outside of NYC increased to: $11.75.

To help inform businesses and employees, the New York State Department of Labor has several tools available on its website at https://www.labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/workprot/minwage.shtm#_blank.

For more information on New York State's minimum wage or to file a complaint, please call the minimum wage hotline at 1-888-469-7365.