Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill that expands New York State’s Paid Family Leave legislation to allow caring for siblings. Paid Family Leave has been in effect since 2018 and is employee-paid insurance that provides paid time off to care for a newborn, bond with adopted or foster children, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to assist a family when a relative is deployed abroad on active military service.  Under the current law, employees cannot take leave to care for a sibling with a serious health condition.

Through the new legislation, the definition of family members is expanded to include siblings, which covers biological siblings, adopted siblings, step-siblings and half-siblings. These family members can live outside of New York State, and even outside of the country. The bill will go into effect on January 1, 2023.