State announces paid family leave increase
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, New Yorkers taking paid family leave may receive up to $14,127.84 in total benefits — an increase of more than $300 from 2024. The annual maximum cost they will pay will increase by about $20.
According to a news release from the state Workers Compensation Board, paid family leave 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.
“Strong Paid Family Leave benefits means New Yorkers don’t have to sacrifice financial security to be there for family in times of need,” said Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Clarissa M. Rodriguez. “No one should have to choose between caring for a loved one and a paycheck.”
Employees taking Paid Family Leave receive 67% of their average weekly wage, up to a cap of 67% of the current New York State Average Weekly Wage, which is $1,757.19 for 2025. That means the maximum weekly benefit will be $1,177.32, and the total possible benefit to an employee is $14,127.84.
Beginning Jan. 1, employees will contribute 0.388% of their gross wages per pay period to pay for paid family leave, with a maximum annual contribution of $354.53 (0.388% of the NYSAWW). Employees earning less than the NYSAWW will contribute less than the annual cap of $354.53, consistent with their actual wages.
To help employers understand the paid family leave updates and share information with their employees, the board has created a number of employer resources, including a deduction notice template, language for employee handbooks, and fact sheets, which are available in the Employer Resources section of paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/2025.
New York’s Paid Family Leave is insurance, fully paid for by employees, that provides job-protected, paid time off care for family in times of need. Most employees of private employers in New York state are covered for paid family leave, while public employers can voluntarily opt in to provide the benefit.
Complete details on NYS Paid Family Leave are available at PaidFamilyLeave.ny.gov. There is also a special page with updates for 2025 that includes benefit and deduction calculators, answers to frequently asked questions, and other resources. Help is also available via a toll-free helpline at 844-337-6303, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Holiday window display contest is set
The Retail Council of New York State invites retail stores across New York to enter its second annual statewide window display contest. The contest will be posted on social media channels with an opportunity for public voting, and prizes will be awarded to the top three vote-getters, according to a news release.
Prizes are:
• First place: $1,000 and title of Best Holiday Window Display in New York, plus 50% off a one-year membership to the Retail Council of New York State.
• Second place: $500 and 50% off a one-year membership.
• Third place: $250 and 50% off a one-year membership.
To enter the contest, business owners should email a photo of their holiday storefront to [email protected]. Include the business name and location.
Winners will be announced by the end of December.
Hartwick native honored in Indiana
Hartwick native Natalie Sell was recently recognized as a 2023 High-Grade Winner by the Indiana Certified Public Accountant Society. As an award winner, she scored one of the top 10 highest cumulative scores in the state for the 2023 Certified Public Accountant exam.
Sell is a tax associate at Katz, Sapper & Miller in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she interned as a student in 2022. She began her full-time position in the fall of 2023.
Sell attended the Indiana Certified Public Accountant Society’s banquet ceremony in Indianapolis on Friday, Nov. 22.
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