On January 20th, New York Governor Kathy Hochul released the state’s budget for the coming year. Unfortunately, Gov. Hochul’s budget omits urgently-needed improvements to the state’s woefully inadequate paid medical leave law, known as Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI).
Every day, our helpline hears from New Yorkers asking about their rights under New York’s paid leave programs, known as Paid Family Leave (PFL) and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), which functions as New York’s paid medical leave program. They are often shocked to discover that our paid medical leave program has not been updated since 1989 and the wage replacement rate has been frozen in time, stuck at $170 a week. Not only are workers forced to try to live off of such a low benefit amount, but our paid medical leave program does not provide job protection or health insurance continuation. This means that New York workers can lose their job and their health insurance during a medical crisis. For some workers, a broken arm can mean struggling to put food on the table because of New York’s outdated paid medical leave program.
In the nearly four decades since New York’s Temporary Disability Insurance law was updated, countless workers have been forced to make the impossible choice between their health and their paycheck. Nobody can live off of $170/week in 2026, nor should they have to. New Yorkers facing medical emergencies, cancer diagnoses, chronic illness, pregnancy-related health needs, and injuries deserve a modern, workable paid medical leave program that helps support them and their families in moments of crisis.
A Better Balance has been working with a robust coalition for the past three legislative sessions to try to support New York’s workforce during moments of medical crisis. New York continues to lag far behind other states – in fact, our neighboring state of New Jersey just passed robust reform to their New Jersey Family Leave Act and Temporary Disability Insurance programs, supporting hundreds of thousands of working New Jerseyans. New York’s program continues to fail its workers.
A health crisis should not create a financial crisis for working New Yorkers. Right now, too many New Yorkers who need to take medical leave cannot afford to live, let alone heal and recover. New York State leaders have the chance to pass A9571/S172 and reform the TDI law, in order to finally bring the state’s paid medical leave program into the 21st century – New Yorkers can’t wait any longer.
New Yorkers: learn more about this campaign and contact your state representatives here.