Mayor Adams Expands Paid Leave For Non-Union City Employees To Support Working Families

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today took another step to support working-class families and make city government more family-friendly for thousands of employees by expanding both paid parental and family leave for non-union city workers.

The effort will bolster the Adams administration’s efforts to retain top talent within the city’s workforce as it continues to provide high-quality services to New Yorkers. The Adams administration will double paid parental leave for non-union employees, from six to 12 weeks, and provide up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for those caring for seriously ill family members.

The administration’s expansion of paid parental and family leave will impact over 10,000 municipal employees and make the City of New York more competitive with municipalities and employers across the country — taking steps to advance Mayor Adams’ ambitious goal of making New York City the most women-forward city in the United States. Today’s announcement also builds on the release of “Women Forward NYC: An Action Plan for Gender Equity,” a more-than-$43 million investment aimed at making New York City a national leader on gender equity, including for transgender and gender expansive New Yorkers.

“My mother worked multiple jobs and raised six kids on her own in New York City. The city didn’t do its part to help support our working-class family, but this administration will not continue the same mistakes of the past,” said Mayor Adams. “Expanding parental leave for city workers and paid leave for those with a sick family member are not only important changes to retain the talent that keeps our city moving — they are the right things to do to ensure our administration continues to help support the average working-class family in this city. Taking the time to care for a newborn baby or an aging parent should not be a luxury for the privileged few, and it should never mean risking your livelihood. With all the work our administration has done to support city workers, expanded paid parental and family leave makes New York City more competitive with just about any major city across the country, marking another massive step towards our ambitious goal of making New York the most women-forward city in America. With this change, the next Dorothy Mae Adams will have a chance to give back to her city without struggling to raise a family.”

“… families deserve to be together for life’s …”

“To deliver on a Working’s People Agenda, the Adams administration is putting working people first and transforming the workplace to meet the realities families are facing,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “Whether it is a new parent being there for their child or taking care of a loved one in need, families deserve to be together for life’s most important moments. With this decision, our administration is reaffirming our commitment to making sure all families have the benefits needed to thrive in an ever changing, modern workplace.”

“Our city team is comprised of outstanding members who work tirelessly to ensure that this administration’s vision translates to real benefits for hardworking New Yorkers,” said Chief Advisor Ingrid P. Lewis-Martin. “This expansion of paid parental and family leave will help us keep the best and the brightest delivering for our city, and it will make sure that our public servants can care for themselves and their loved ones — especially in critical stages of their lives. Our team should have the benefit of caring for and nurturing their newest family members, our future, during this most precious time.”

“New York City’s municipal workforce is the best in the country, and we are committed to delivering them the benefits they deserve as they deliver for working-class New Yorkers,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “Beyond helping us retain city workers, expanding paid parental and family leave will ensure that the people who serve this city can take care of themselves and their loved ones, particularly at formative moments of their lives.”

“We deeply value every person that is part of team New York City,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “Today’s personnel order will impact more than 10,000 city workers, expanding their access to paid parental and family leave. It strengthens our workforce when we can act to support the family units that support them. Whether you are a new parent or an adult child acting as a caregiver to your older adult parent or loved one, your New York City family stands with you on your journey.”

“By setting record job numbers and leading the nation on gender equity through ‘Women Forward NYC,’ the Adams administration is ensuring New York City remains accessible for working families, including the city employees who have worked tirelessly in service of all New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “The benefits of paid parental and paid family leave are well-established, and I am so thrilled that these new policies will bolster the health and economic security of our municipal workforce and their families.”

“Paid parental and family leave is more than just an added bonus for employees, it’s a genuine show of care for people,” said New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “City employees dedicate their careers to serving New Yorkers, and they deserve the ability to extend care to their families during major life events, like having a child or caring for an ill family member. Thanks to Mayor Adams’ leadership, we’re committed to prioritizing their well-being and improving their quality of life.”

As part of this new policy, non-union city employees will be able to receive up to 12 weeks of fully-paid parental leave. Additionally, employees will be enrolled in the New York State Paid Family Leave program, something hundreds of thousands of union employees of the City of New York already have access to, and be eligible for up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid time off to care for seriously ill family members— up to $1,150 per week, per the state’s 2024 benefits plan. The paid family leave benefit will be funded by an employee payroll deduction of approximately $13.00 per paycheck. The city’s expanded parental leave policy will take effect immediately, while the paid family leave will take effect once these employees are enrolled in the State Paid Family Leave program, which will take approximately 90 days.

Released last week, “Women Forward NYC” addresses gender disparities by connecting women to professional development and higher-paying jobs; dismantling barriers to sexual, reproductive, and chronic health care; reducing gender-based violence against women; and providing holistic housing services, including for formerly incarcerated women and domestic and gender-based violence survivors. Specifically, the action plan commits the Adams administration to leading the way on gender equity, incorporating more women-focused programming, planning, and partnerships to better serve and support women in the workforce across the city.

Today’s announcement also follows targeted and effective steps taken by the Adams administration to produce a balanced Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Budget. With responsible and effective fiscal management — including steps to put migrants on the path to self-sufficiency and reduce per diem costs of managing a national humanitarian crisis — the administration closed a $7 billion budget gap, despite federal COVID-19 stimulus funding drying up, expenses from labor contracts this administration inherited after being unresolved for years, and the growing costs of the asylum seeker crisis.

Photo credit: Sheena Wright.

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