How much does NY paid family leave pay in 2026?

In 2026, NY Paid Family Leave pays 67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), capped at $1,228.53 per week. This is 67% of the New York State Average Weekly Wage (NYSAWW) of $1,833.63.

How is NY paid family leave calculated?

NY PFL is calculated as 67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), capped at 67% of the New York State Average Weekly Wage (NYSAWW). For 2026, the maximum benefit is $1,228.53 per week. If your AWW is $100 or more, your minimum benefit is $100 per week.

How much do I pay for NY paid family leave in 2026?

In 2026, the employee contribution rate is 0.432% of gross wages, capped at $411.91 annually. For biweekly paychecks, this is about $15.84 maximum per paycheck.

What is the maximum NY paid family leave benefit for 2026?

The maximum NY PFL weekly benefit for 2026 is $1,228.53. This is 67% of the NYSAWW of $1,833.63. For the full 12 weeks, the maximum total benefit is $14,742.36.

How long can you take NY paid family leave?

You can take up to 12 weeks of NY Paid Family Leave per rolling 52-week period. This applies to bonding, family care, and military family leave events. Leave can be taken all at once or intermittently, but must be in full-day increments.

Does NY paid family leave include weekends?

NY Paid Family Leave benefits are calculated for calendar days, including weekends and holidays. There is no waiting period before PFL benefits begin — benefits are available from the first day of eligible leave. Note: NY Disability Benefits Law (DBL) has a separate 7-day waiting period, but that does not apply to PFL.

Can I use PFL and FMLA at the same time?

Yes. NY PFL can run concurrently with FMLA if the leave qualifies for both. This means both programs can be used simultaneously, but the 12-week period runs concurrently, not consecutively.

Is my NY paid family leave benefit taxable?

Yes. Pursuant to NY Department of Tax Notice No. N-17-12, Paid Family Leave benefits are taxable non-wage income that must be included in federal gross income. Taxes will not automatically be withheld from benefits, but employees can request voluntary tax withholding from their insurer.

What if I work multiple jobs in New York?

You may be eligible for PFL from each employer if you meet the eligibility requirements for each job. However, total benefits may be capped at the NYSAWW limit across all jobs.

Does NY PFL apply to self-employed workers?

Self-employed individuals can voluntarily opt into NY Paid Family Leave. You must apply through the NYS Workers' Compensation Board and pay the required contributions.

What is the difference between NY PFL and NY DBL?

NY PFL (Paid Family Leave) covers bonding with a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, and military family support — and has no waiting period. NY DBL (Disability Benefits Law) covers your own illness or injury, pays up to $170/week, and has a 7-day waiting period before benefits begin.

Is there a waiting period for NY paid family leave?

No. NY Paid Family Leave has no waiting period — benefits are available starting on the first day of your eligible leave. This is different from NY Disability Benefits Law (DBL), which has a 7-day unpaid waiting period before disability payments begin. Do not confuse the two programs.

What happens if my leave spans two calendar years (e.g., December 2025 to January 2026)?

Your benefit rate is locked in on the first day your leave begins and does not change when the calendar year rolls over. If your continuous leave starts in 2025, you receive 2025 rates for the entire leave — the rate is not recalculated at 2026 rates mid-leave. Exception: if you take intermittent leave that began in 2025 and there is at least a three-month lapse in days taken, the resumed leave is treated as a new claim at the 2026 rate.

2026 New York Paid Family Leave Benefit Calculator — Estimate Your Weekly Pay

Name: New York Paid Family Leave Benefit Calculator 2026
Author: AKCalc

See how much you'll get and how much it will cost you. Compare 2025 vs 2026 side-by-side. Free estimator.

By Shyraz Habib — Founder, AKCalc. Last verified January 2026.

Source: New York State Paid Family Leave Program, New York State Workers' Compensation Board, 2026
Last verified: January 2026
Official source link — opens in new tab

Annual Gross Wages ($)

Your total yearly pay before taxes

Pay Periods Per Year

Affects your per-paycheck deduction display only

Leave Type

Your weekly benefit amount is the same for all three leave types — this choice only labels your estimate.

Compare Year

✓ Verified 2026 NYS Rates • Updated January 2026 • Official formula: 67% of AWW capped at NYSAWW

Disclaimer: This calculator provides an informational estimate based on the published rules and rates for New York State, United States as of January 2026. It does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances—including personal exemptions, deductions, regional rules, and special situations—may produce different results. For decisions involving tax obligations, payroll processing, or financial planning, consult a qualified professional licensed in your jurisdiction.

2026 NY Paid Family Leave Benefit at a Glance

Quickly find your weekly benefit based on your average weekly wage. All numbers are official 2026 NYS rates.

Your Average Weekly Wage	Your Weekly Benefit (67%)
Under $100	Your full AWW (100%)
$100–$149	$100.00 (minimum benefit)
$250	$167.50
$500	$335.00
$750	$502.50
$1,000	$670.00
$1,250	$837.50
$1,500	$1,005.00
$1,750	$1,172.50
$1,833.63 or more	$1,228.53 (maximum)

Note: PFL benefits are available from the first day of eligible leave — there is no waiting period for NY Paid Family Leave. Leave can be taken all at once or intermittently, but must be in full-day increments.

How Your NY Paid Family Leave Benefit Is Calculated

The formula is straightforward: your weekly benefit equals 67% of your average weekly wage (AWW), capped at 67% of the New York State Average Weekly Wage (NYSAWW).

For 2026, the NYSAWW is $1,833.63. This means the maximum weekly benefit is $1,228.53 (67% × $1,833.63).

Here's the math:

Step 1: Calculate your average weekly wage using your actual gross wages from the last 8 weeks before your leave begins, including bonuses and commissions.
Step 2: Multiply your AWW by 67%.
Step 3: If the result exceeds $1,228.53 (2026), your benefit is capped at $1,228.53.
Step 4 (Minimum): If your AWW is $100 or more, your minimum weekly benefit is $100. If your AWW is below $100, you receive your full AWW as your benefit.

Example: If you earn $1,000 per week → $1,000 × 67% = $670.00 per week.

Example: If you earn $2,000 per week → $2,000 × 67% = $1,340, but capped at $1,228.53 per week.

Example: If you earn $120 per week → $120 × 67% = $80.40, but minimum benefit applies, so you receive $100.00 per week.

Average Weekly Wage (AWW): What Counts?

Your AWW is based on the actual gross wages from your last 8 weeks of work before your leave begins. Insurers must use whichever is higher: the last 8 weeks including the week PFL started, or the last 8 weeks not including that week. Here's what's included and excluded:

✓ Included:

Base salary or hourly wages
Bonuses and commissions
Overtime pay
Shift differentials
Tips reported to employer

✗ Excluded:

401(k) employer matches
Health insurance premiums paid by employer
Reimbursements for expenses
Non-taxable fringe benefits

Self-employed individuals who have opted in use a 52-week average of their net self-employment income.

Who Is Eligible for NY Paid Family Leave?

To qualify for NY PFL benefits in 2026, you must meet one of these requirements:

Full-time employees: Worked 26 consecutive weeks for your employer, with at least 20 hours per week.
Part-time employees: Worked 175 days (not necessarily consecutive) for your employer, with a regular schedule of fewer than 20 hours per week.
Self-employed individuals: Voluntarily opted into the program through the NYS Workers' Compensation Board.

You are eligible for up to 12 weeks of paid leave per rolling 52-week period for bonding, family care, or military family support. Citizenship or immigration status is never a factor in eligibility.

No waiting period: Unlike NY Disability Benefits Law (DBL), NY Paid Family Leave has no waiting period. Benefits are available starting on the first day of your eligible leave.

2025 vs 2026: What Changed?

NY PFL rates are updated annually based on the NYSAWW. Here's how 2025 compares to 2026:

Metric	2025	2026	Change
NYSAWW	$1,757.19	$1,833.63	+$76.44 (+4.35%)
Maximum Weekly Benefit	$1,177.32	$1,228.53	+$51.21 (+4.35%)
Employee Contribution Rate	0.388%	0.432%	+0.044 percentage points
Maximum Annual Deduction	$354.53	$411.91	+$57.38 (+16.2%)
Maximum Total Benefit (12 weeks)	$14,127.84	$14,742.36	+$614.52 (+4.35%)

Important — Cross-Year Leave Rule: If your leave begins in 2025 and extends into 2026, your benefit rate is locked in at the rate in effect on the first day of your leave (2025 rates). The rate is not recalculated or split when the calendar year changes. Exception: if you take intermittent leave that began in 2025 and there is at least a three-month lapse in days taken, the resumed leave is treated as a new claim at 2026 rates.

NY PFL vs FMLA vs DBL: What's the Difference?

Understanding which program applies to your situation is critical. Here's a side-by-side comparison:

Feature	NY PFL	FMLA	NY DBL (Disability)
Pay	67% of AWW (max $1,228.53/week in 2026)	Unpaid	50% of AWW (max $170/week)
Duration	Up to 12 weeks	Up to 12 weeks (unpaid)	Up to 26 weeks
Qualifying Events	Bonding, family care, military	Serious health condition, birth, adoption, military	Employee's own illness or injury
Waiting Period	None — benefits start day one	N/A	7-day unpaid waiting period
Job Protection	Yes	Yes	No
Health Insurance	Employer must continue	Employer must continue	Not required
Who Pays	Employee payroll deduction	N/A (unpaid)	Employer-paid or employee premium

Key takeaway: Use NY PFL for family-related leave (bonding, caring for a family member). Use DBL for your own medical disability — note DBL has a 7-day waiting period before benefits begin. FMLA provides unpaid job protection but can run concurrently with PFL.

Are NY Paid Family Leave Benefits Taxable?

Yes. Pursuant to NY Department of Tax Notice No. N-17-12, NY Paid Family Leave benefits are taxable non-wage income that must be included in your federal gross income. Here is what you need to know:

Federal income tax: PFL benefits are taxable at the federal level and must be reported on your tax return.
NY State income tax: PFL benefits are generally not subject to New York State income tax — the federal treatment applies. Confirm your specific situation with the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance or a tax professional.
Withholding: Taxes are not automatically withheld from benefit payments. You can request voluntary tax withholding from your insurance carrier when you file your PFL claim.
Form W-2: Your employer reports your PFL payroll contributions in Box 14 of your W-2 as state disability insurance taxes withheld.
Social Security & Medicare: PFL benefits paid by an insurer (not your employer) are generally not subject to FICA taxes, as they are non-wage income paid by a third party.

Tax Tip: To avoid a large tax bill at year-end, consider requesting voluntary withholding when you file your PFL claim. Contact your employer's insurance carrier for the appropriate withholding request form.

What Makes This Calculator Different

Most NY PFL calculators show only one thing: your weekly benefit. Or they show only your deduction. And almost none show how rates changed from last year.

This calculator does something no other free tool does:

Shows both your weekly benefit AND your annual deduction — side-by-side. You see what you get and what you pay, all in one place.
Compares 2025 vs 2026 rates — instantly see how the changes affect you. If your leave crosses the new year, this is critical.
Per-paycheck breakdown — see exactly what comes out of each paycheck, whether you're paid weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, or monthly.
Explains the math — no black boxes. You see the formula and the cap applied to your specific wage.

Why this matters: The official NYS calculators show benefits and deductions on separate pages. Third-party calculators show one or the other. This is the only calculator that brings everything together with a year-over-year comparison.

Related Calculators

Plan your leave and payroll deductions together with these free New York tools:

NY DBL & PFL combined leave calculator — planning a disability leave (e.g., maternity recovery) followed by family leave? This tool combines both benefits up to the 26-week maximum.
NY SDI paycheck calculator — see exactly how much State Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave are deducted from each paycheck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about NY Paid Family Leave benefits.

Methodology: How We Calculate Your Benefit

Our calculator uses the official NYS formula published by the New York State Workers' Compensation Board. All calculations are updated for 2026 rates.

Calculation steps:

Estimate your average weekly wage (AWW): This calculator estimates your AWW by dividing your annual gross wages by 52 weeks. This is an approximation — your actual AWW at claim time is based on your real gross wages from the last 8 weeks before leave begins. The pay period selection does not affect the benefit calculation; it only affects the per-paycheck deduction display.
Apply the 67% rate: We multiply your estimated AWW by 67% to get your raw weekly benefit.
Apply the minimum benefit rule: If your estimated AWW is $100 or more, the minimum weekly benefit is $100. If AWW is below $100, the benefit equals your full AWW.
Apply the NYSAWW cap: If your raw benefit exceeds 67% of the NYSAWW ($1,228.53 for 2026), we cap it at that maximum.
Calculate your deduction: We multiply your annual wages by the contribution rate (0.432% for 2026) and cap it at the annual maximum ($411.91).
Show both years: When "Show Both" is selected, we display 2025 and 2026 values side-by-side.

Data sources: All rates and formulas are sourced from the official NYS Paid Family Leave website (paidfamilyleave.ny.gov), the NYS Workers' Compensation Board, and NY Department of Financial Services.

Last updated: January 2026