New York is making history by becoming the first state to give prenatal paid leave.
This policy was launched by Gov. Kathy Hochul and is the first to give expecting mothers the time to focus on their health and their baby’s health. It will go into effect on January 1, 2025, and will offer up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave.
According to the press release, pregnant women can take time off for medical procedures, physical exams, testing, and more.
“No pregnant woman in New York should be forced to choose between a paycheck and a check-up- and that’s why I pushed to create the nation’s first paid prenatal leave policy,” Gov. Hochul said. “From raising the minimum wage to investing in affordable child care, we’re making New York the best and most affordable place to raise a family.”
A public awareness campaign will be promoted via subway ads to educate New Yorkers about the new law. The CDC reported that prenatal care in the first trimester has declined for two years in a row.
They also reported the birth certificates of mothers who didn’t receive any prenatal care increased about 4.5% from 2.2% in 2022 to 2.3% in 2023. Once this law goes into effect new and existing employees will automatically have 20 hours of the Paid Prenatal Leave per year.
You can learn more about Paid Prenatal Leave here.