Today, 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).
New York’s Paid Family Leave program was groundbreaking when it passed in 2016, and provides job-protected paid leave for workers to care for a new child or a seriously ill loved one. But New York’s TDI program covering workers’ ability to care for their own health needs hasn’t been updated since 1989. As a result, New York has fallen behind numerous other states with comprehensive paid family and medical leave programs.
The following is a statement from Inimai Chettiar, President of A Better Balance:
“In her State of the State announcement today, Governor Hochul said, “Your family is my fight,” assuring New Yorkers that her priority is “more money in [workers’] pockets.” We could not agree more—no New Yorker should ever have to sacrifice their health for a paycheck. Despite the Governor’s promise, without comprehensive reform to the Temporary Disability Insurance law, workers who need to take paid leave for their own health are left without a safety net.
New York’s Temporary Disability Insurance law hasn’t been updated in more than 35 years. In 2025, the maximum weekly benefit amount is still frozen at just $170 per week – barely enough to cover groceries as a breadwinner for a large family, let alone rent, utilities, or medical bills. New Yorkers facing medical emergencies, cancer diagnoses, chronic illness, pregnancy complications, and injuries deserve a modern, workable paid medical leave program that helps support them and their families in moments of crisis.
We are disappointed to see these urgently-needed reforms to Temporary Disability Insurance fall by the wayside in this year’s budget. We urge Governor Hochul, the Assembly, and the Senate to prioritize the health and financial well-being of New York’s families this session by passing A84/S172 as quickly as possible.”
