N.Y. Workers' Compensation Law Section 204
Disability and family leave during employment


1.

Disability benefits shall be payable to an eligible employee for disabilities, beginning with the eighth day of disability and thereafter during the continuance of disability, subject to the limitations as to maximum and minimum amounts and duration and other conditions and limitations in this section and in sections two hundred five and two hundred six of this article. Family leave benefits shall be payable to an eligible employee for the first full day when family leave is required and thereafter during the continuance of the need for family leave, subject to the limitations as to maximum and minimum amounts and duration and other conditions and limitations in this section and in sections two hundred five and two hundred six of this article. Successive periods of disability or family leave caused by the same or related injury or sickness shall be deemed a single period of disability or family leave only if separated by less than three months.

2.

(a) The weekly benefit for family leave that occurs (i) on or after January first, two thousand eighteen shall not exceed eight weeks during any fifty-two week calendar period and shall be fifty percent of the employee’s average weekly wage but shall not exceed fifty percent of the state average weekly wage, (ii) on or after January first, two thousand nineteen shall not exceed ten weeks during any fifty-two week calendar period and shall be fifty-five percent of the employee’s average weekly wage but shall not exceed fifty-five percent of the state average weekly wage, (iii) on or after January first, two thousand twenty shall not exceed ten weeks during any fifty-two week calendar period and shall be sixty percent of the employee’s average weekly wage but shall not exceed sixty percent of the state average weekly wage, and

(iv)

on or after January first of each succeeding year, shall not exceed twelve weeks during any fifty-two week calendar period and shall be sixty-seven percent of the employee’s average weekly wage but shall not exceed sixty-seven percent of the New York state average weekly wage in effect. The superintendent of financial services shall have discretion to delay the increases in the family leave benefit level provided in subparagraphs (ii), (iii), and

(iv)

of this paragraph by one or more calendar years. In determining whether to delay the increase in the family leave benefit for any year, the superintendent of financial services shall consider: (1) the current cost to employees of the family leave benefit and any expected change in the cost after the benefit increase; (2) the current number of insurers issuing insurance policies with a family leave benefit and any expected change in the number of insurers issuing such policies after the benefit increase; (3) the impact of the benefit increase on employers’ business and the overall stability of the program to the extent that information is readily available; (4) the impact of the benefit increase on the financial stability of the disability and family leave insurance market and carriers; and (5) any additional factors that the superintendent of financial services deems relevant. If the superintendent of financial services delays the increase in the family leave benefit level for one or more calendar years, the family leave benefit level that shall take effect immediately following the delay shall be the same benefit level that would have taken effect but for the delay. The weekly benefits for family leave that occurs on or after January first, two thousand eighteen shall not be less than one hundred dollars per week except that if the employee’s wages at the time of family leave are less than one hundred dollars per week, the employee shall receive his or her full wages. Benefits may be payable to employees for paid family leave taken intermittently or for less than a full work week in increments of one full day or one fifth of the weekly benefit.

(b)

The weekly benefit which the disabled employee is entitled to receive for disability commencing on or after May first, nineteen hundred eighty-nine shall be one-half of the employee’s weekly wage, but in no case shall such benefit exceed one hundred seventy dollars; except that if the employee’s average weekly wage is less than twenty dollars, the benefit shall be such average weekly wage. The weekly benefit which the disabled employee is entitled to receive for disability commencing on or after July first, nineteen hundred eighty-four shall be one-half of the employee’s weekly wage, but in no case shall such benefit exceed one hundred forty-five dollars; except that if the employee’s average weekly wage is less than twenty dollars, the benefit shall be such average weekly wage. The weekly benefit which the disabled employee is entitled to receive for disability commencing on or after July first, nineteen hundred eighty-three and prior to July first, nineteen hundred eighty-four shall be one-half of the employee’s average weekly wage, but in no case shall such benefit exceed one hundred thirty-five dollars nor be less than twenty dollars; except that if the employee’s average weekly wage is less than twenty dollars the benefit shall be such average weekly wage. The weekly benefit which the disabled employee is entitled to receive for disability commencing on or after July first, nineteen hundred seventy-four, and prior to July first, nineteen hundred eighty-three, shall be one-half of the employee’s average weekly wage, but in no case shall such benefit exceed ninety-five dollars nor be less than twenty dollars; except that if the employee’s average weekly wage is less than twenty dollars, the benefit shall be such average weekly wage. The weekly benefit which the disabled employee is entitled to receive for disability commencing on or after July first, nineteen hundred seventy and prior to July first, nineteen hundred seventy-four shall be one-half of the employee’s average weekly wage, but in no case shall such benefit exceed seventy-five dollars nor be less than twenty dollars; except that if the employee’s average weekly wage is less than twenty dollars the benefit shall be such average weekly wage. For any period of disability less than a full week, the benefits payable shall be calculated by dividing the weekly benefit by the number of the employee’s normal work days per week and multiplying the quotient by the number of normal work days in such period of disability. The weekly benefit for a disabled employee who is concurrently eligible for benefits in the employment of more than one covered employer shall, within the maximum and minimum herein provided, be one-half of the total of the employee’s average weekly wages received from all such covered employers, and shall be allocated in the proportion of their respective average weekly wage payments.

Source: Section 204 — Disability and family leave during employment, https://www.­nysenate.­gov/legislation/laws/WKC/204 (updated Apr. 8, 2016; accessed Oct. 26, 2024).

200
Short title
201
Definitions
202
Covered employer
203
Employees eligible for benefits under section two hundred four of this article
203‑A
Retaliatory action prohibited for family leave
203‑B
Reinstatement following family leave
203‑C
Health insurance during family leave
204
Disability and family leave during employment
205
Disabilities, family leave and periods for which benefits are not payable
206
Non-duplication of benefits
207
Disability while unemployed
208
Payment of disability and family leave benefits
209
Contribution of employees for disability and family leave benefits
210
Employer contributions
211
Provision for payment of benefits
212
Voluntary coverage
212‑A
Notwithstanding the definition of “employer” and “employment” set forth in section two hundred one of this article and the requirement fo...
212‑B
Public employees
213
Non-compliance or default
214
Special fund for disability benefits
215
Commissioner of taxation and finance custodian of fund
216
Disposition of uncommitted balance of employees’ contributions
217
Notice and proof of claim
218
Disability benefit rights inalienable
219
Enforcement of payment in default
220
Penalties
221
Determination of contested claims for disability and family leave benefits
222
Technical rules of evidence or procedure not required
223
Modification of board decisions or orders
224
Appeals
225
Fees for representing employees
226
The insurance contract
227
Actionable injuries in claims for disability benefits
228
Administrative expenses
229
Posting of notice and providing of notice of rights
230
Destruction of records
231
Subpoenas
232
Fees for testimony of physicians, podiatrists, chiropractors, dentists, psychologists and health care providers
233
Inspection of records of employers
234
Disclosures prohibited
235
Exemptions
236
Disposition of accrued benefits upon death
237
Reimbursement for advance payments by employers
238
Payments to minors
239
Representation before the board
240
Non-liability of state
241
Application of other provisions of chapter
242
Separability of provisions

Accessed:
Oct. 26, 2024

Last modified:
Apr. 8, 2016

§ 204’s source at nysenate​.gov

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