Schenectady Could Opt in to Paid Leave Plan Managed by WC Board

Tuesday, March 19, 2019 | 0

Schenectady may soon become one of the first cities in New York to opt in to a paid family leave program administered by the state Workers' Compensation Board.

Under a state law that took effect in 2018, private employers in New York are mandated to provide paid leave for new parents, medical caregivers and family members of those deployed abroad to active military service. But for cities and other public employers, the plan is voluntary, according to a local news report.

The Schenectady City Council will hold a public hearing about the proposal at 7 p.m. March 25.

Funding for the plan would come from employee payroll contributions, and the program currently offers 10 weeks of paid leave, with employees eligible for up to 55% of their average weekly wage, the newspaper reported. By 2021, the program will extend to 12 weeks at 67% of the wage.

The contribution is 0.153% of an employee’s gross wages each pay period, with a maximum annual contribution of $108. The maximum weekly benefit for 2019 is $746.

“We want to be one of the first municipalities in New York state to offer this to our employees at relatively little cost,” City Council President Ed Kosiur said.

The compensation board said it could not immediately provide the number of municipalities that have opted into the program, the news report said.