New York Becomes First State to Require Employers to Pay for Prenatal Care

Starting January 1, 2025, all private employers in New York must provide pregnant employees with up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave per calendar year.  The leave can be used in hourly increments for “health care services received by an employee during their pregnancy or related to such pregnancy, including physical examinations, medical procedures, monitoring and testing, and discussions with a health care provider related to the pregnancy.”  It must be paid in hourly installments at the employee’s regular rate of pay during the leave period and there is no requirement that unused prenatal leave be paid out at end of employment. 

This benefit was added to the existing sick leave requirements of the New York Labor Code (See Section 196-B) and is in addition to any paid sick and safe leave to which an employee is already entitled.  New York employers should consult with their labor counsel to ensure compliance with this law by the time it becomes effective in 2025.