NYS Standard Disability Has Been Temporarily Raised to 100% of the Employee’s Pay in Response to COVID-19

NYS and the Feds are issuing COVID-19 complex employee benefits mandates at lightning speed designed to support employees financially through the COVID-19 crisis.

Even though nonessential workplaces are currently closed, a number of essential businesses remain open. Particularly for employees currently working at essential busineses, a significant (and temporary) NYS benefits improvement designed to keep an employee ill with COVID-19 financially whole has increased the weekly NYS Short-Term Disability to 100% of the employee’s pay. (The weekly payment for NYS STD is usually just $170.00.)

    • The NYS Short-Term Disability 7-day waiting period has also been waived.
    • NYS has also temporarily raised for employers with 99 employees or less short-term disability payments to 100% of the employees pay (normally $170 a week) for employees making a maximum of $150,000 a year; and there’s also a provision to allow the employee to take NYS Paid Family Leave and NYS Short-Term Disability at the same time (normally not permitted) for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.
    • The employee can make use the COVID-19  NYS Short-Term Disability and NYS Paid Family Leave at the same time (normally not permitted) for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.
      • The maximum weekly payments for COVID-19 NYS Short-Term Disability and NYS Paid Family Leave is $2,043.92 weekly for 26 weeks in a 52-week period and $480.00 weekly, respectively.

Whether you’re sheltering in place or working from home (or both) – take care and be well.