New York Releases 2024 Benefits for Disability Benefit Law

New York is one of a growing number of states that requires employers to provide disability benefits for off-the-job injuries and illnesses. The law provides certain weekly benefits to employees to offset lost wages. These disability benefits are cash only and cannot be combined with benefits received under New York’s Paid Family Leave law.

Under New York state's disability benefits law, a covered worker is any employee that is also a covered worker under New York’s workers’ compensation law. For 2024, covered workers are entitled to 50 percent of their average weekly wage for the last eight weeks worked, up to a maximum of $170 per week. Covered workers may take a maximum of 26 weeks of disability during a 52-week period. All benefits are subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes.

Under the law, covered workers may take a maximum of 26 weeks of disability during a 52-week period.

Employers may require employees to contribute up to one half of one percent of their wages; however, total employee contribution cannot exceed 60 cents per week. Benefits begin on the eighth consecutive day of disability. Employers must provide the “Statement of Rights under the Disability Benefits Law” within five days of learning an employee is disabled.

Employers requiring employee contributions should review its payroll deductions to make sure the contributions to not exceed the maximum allowable rate applicable to employees. Employers should also review their internal policies to confirm that eligible employees are provided the Statement of Rights linked above and are aware of their rights under the law.

This article covers employer obligations for off-the-job injuries. However, employers are often required to support employees who sustain on-the-job injuries in the form of workers' compensation payments. To learn more, check out our blog post on Workers' Compensation Insurance and visit our Property and Casualty solutions page.