Paid Leave · New York
New York Paid Medical Leave in 2026
Your own serious health condition, including pregnancy and childbirth recovery. Here is how many weeks New York pays, what each week pays at your income, and the formula the state uses — worked through at $60,000 a year, with a table for other pay levels.
Informational only — not financial or legal advice. Does not include income tax on benefits.
In New York you can take up to 26 weeks of medical leave and be paid for 26 of them: about $170 a week, or 15% of your usual pay. The first week is unpaid.
- 50% of your $1,153.85 average weekly wage$576.92
- Capped at the New York maximum$170.00
- Weekly benefit$170.00
- Program: Disability Benefits (DBL), run by NY Workers' Compensation Board.
- Waiting period: the first 7 days are unpaid; the 26 paid weeks start after them.
- Who qualifies: Four or more consecutive weeks with a covered employer.
- The $170 weekly cap is written into the statute and has not changed since 1989. Many employers carry richer private short-term disability coverage on top; check your own plan.
Law: N.Y. Workers' Comp. Law §§ 204–205 · Figures: NY WCB — Disability benefits eligibility
Job protection is separate. Federal FMLA gives up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours. State paid leave usually runs at the same time, not after it.
Assumes steady pay over the past year. Benefits are figured from your quarterly wage records, so uneven pay changes the answer. Informational only, not financial or legal advice.
New York medical leave by yearly pay
| Yearly pay | Weekly wage | Weekly benefit | Share of pay | Total for 26 paid weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $576.92 | $170.00 (cap) | 29% | $4,420 |
| $45,000 | $865.38 | $170.00 (cap) | 20% | $4,420 |
| $60,000 | $1,153.85 | $170.00 (cap) | 15% | $4,420 |
| $80,000 | $1,538.46 | $170.00 (cap) | 11% | $4,420 |
| $100,000 | $1,923.08 | $170.00 (cap) | 9% | $4,420 |
| $150,000 | $2,884.62 | $170.00 (cap) | 6% | $4,420 |
Assumes the same pay in every quarter of the base period. The share of pay falls as income rises because the formula replaces less of each extra dollar, then stops at the cap.
Asking your employer
New York pays the benefit, but your employer still needs notice. Draft a leave request letter that cites N.Y. Workers' Comp. Law §§ 204–205 and federal FMLA.
Other kinds of leave in New York
Last reviewed: September 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does New York medical leave pay per week in 2026?
Up to $170.00 a week. Below the cap, the benefit is a share of your average weekly wage: at $60,000 a year it is about $170 a week. The table above shows other pay levels.
How many weeks of medical leave do you get in New York?
Up to 26 weeks under Disability Benefits (DBL), with the first 7 days unpaid. The $170 weekly cap is written into the statute and has not changed since 1989. Many employers carry richer private short-term disability coverage on top; check your own plan.
Who qualifies for New York medical leave?
Four or more consecutive weeks with a covered employer. Qualifying for pay is separate from job protection: federal FMLA protects your job only if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours.
What law sets New York's medical leave benefit?
N.Y. Workers' Comp. Law §§ 204–205, administered by NY Workers' Compensation Board. StubTrue reviews the figures each year when the state updates its average weekly wage and cap; last reviewed September 2026.
Related tools
See how many weeks of leave your state gives, how many are paid, and what each week pays — for a new baby, your own health, or caring for family. Formula and law shown.
/paid-leave-calculatorOpen →Leave Request Letter GeneratorDraft a request for time off to your employer that cites federal FMLA and your state's paid leave program. Copy it and send.
/leave-request-letterOpen →State Disability & Paid Leave Deduction CalculatorSee exactly how much your state's SDI or PFML payroll deduction takes from your paycheck — covers CA, NJ, NY, RI, HI, WA, MA, CT, and OR.
/state-disability-calculatorOpen →