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Loretta, I am a Canadian living in New York and from Western Canada (though not Alberta) and Ontario is not thriving; it is on the verge of a recession and an economic behemoth on the ROC (Rest of Canada excluding Quebec) second only to Quebec.

This spring I gave birth to my son at 30 weeks gestational age--about two and a half months early. He was in a neonatal intensive care unit for just over 6 weeks. Fortunately, as a union employee, I was granted disability payments during that time. I can't imagine how much more difficult an already difficult situation would have been for me had I not had this support, and I wouldn't want any worker to ever be without it. A maximum of $33 per employee per year seems a nominal amount of money to insure that people like me receive financial support and time to care for a loved one, and it's an amount I would gladly pay for my coworkers to enjoy the same benefit.

Wow, What a great way for unscrupulous, low paying employers to off set their payroll with their barely legal employees. We just have to get used to the fact that NJ-941/500 compliance and numerous taxes aren't enough to make payroll administration a nightmare, we need one more tax and deduction. Otherwise this is great; It will have to create another Trenton bureaucracy to distribute these monitor and distribute these payments thereby securing at least government employment in New Jersey!

1. how would this work with federal leave and shortterm disability (STD)?
STD gives you a higher max than the ~$500 in this proposal.
2. does it apply to people who live in NJ, but work in NY?

NYS will never see this. Go NJ Go!

Also, $530 is more per week than you make after taxes in a 38K/yr job. There are LOTS of people who live on less.

It's a small step, but well worth it! We really need some Federal compensation for both family leave AND some support for childcare to allow parents to work.

call me a communist but getting excited over this limited amount of support for humans outside work is embarrassing.

we had 6 wks full salary and 3 wks half salary from a corporation that offered this deal as a benefit (for a newborn) and felt the above sentiment after watching Moore's "Sicko." In that film of course it contrasts US w 6-24 months for parents in other countries.

Is there a limit to the number of times this benefit can be taken advantage of? ie 1 time every 2 years, etc?

As the US population ages, I could imagine needing to take advantage of this much more frequently than past and current experience indicates.

If the costs of the program exceeds the projected costs, what happens?

I am a Canadian living in the U.S. Maternity leave in the province of Ontario is one year and it is self-funding. The province is thriving! Why are Americans so reluctant to take care of their families?

JAFT... just another "f" tax. When will the state start "borrowing" from this insurance fund being run by the state?

personally, i'd be happy to pay 3x that amount per year -- for that safety net.

Are you kidding? A $30/yr tax for this kind of benefit is a steal. Hope to see this in NYS.

Does it count toward adoption leave?

How does this work with your short term disability?

The businesses may not pay for this directly, but they have to cover that worker's position while they are gone. There's a cost there.

I took advantage of the same benefit through the previous Short Term Dis for a new born. I think this is simply extending the benefit to men ( re: new babies).

Brian, can you ask your guest if this legislation would cover full-time freelance workers or sole proprietors? Though I live in Brooklyn, I'm curious how this might eventually trickle down to effect NYC...

6 x $530 = whoohoo! Gas and ringdings until summer!