NY State Legislature Expands Paid Leave to Include Bereavement and Organ Donation

By Kelsey Basten

Published on July 19, 2018

New York lawmakers approved an expansion to the New York Paid Family Leave program. The program now includes paid leave for bereavement due to the death of a family member. If Governor Andrew Cuomo signs the bill, it will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

The bill defines family members as an employee’s child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, spouse or domestic partner. Also, the leave may be used at any time after the death of a family member; it isn’t specified whether it must be used consecutively.

The New York legislature also passed the Living Donor Protection Act, which expands the definition of “serious health condition” to include transplant, preparation and recovery from surgery related to organ or tissue donation.

If approved by Governor Cuomo, the bill would go into effect 90 days after it’s enacted. And following that, employees will immediately be able to use living donor leave.