New York Senate Bill S03944

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/30/25
• Refer: 1/30/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Authorizes paid family leave for bereavement beginning in 2027.

Summary

This bill amends New York’s Workers’ Compensation Law to expressly add bereavement as a qualifying reason for paid family leave. Under the proposal, an employee could take family leave after the death of a family member, and the bill also updates related provisions so that bereavement leave is treated differently from leave taken to care for a seriously ill family member or to bond with a child. It also adds rules for notice and proof of leave in bereavement cases, including allowing notice as soon as practicable and using a death certificate as proof of need for leave. The bill further revises administrative and medical-examination provisions to account for the fact that a deceased family member cannot be examined. It clarifies that the existing requirement for a health care provider examination does not apply when the leave is due to death, and it adjusts the proof and contest procedures accordingly. The measure is set to take effect immediately but would apply to policies or contracts issued, renewed, modified, altered, or amended on or after January 1, 2027.

Impact

The bill would amend several sections of the Workers’ Compensation Law governing New York’s paid family leave program, expanding the statutory definition of “family leave” and changing proof, notice, and claims-processing rules for bereavement-related leave. It would affect employees seeking paid leave after the death of a family member, employers administering leave requests, and insurers or carriers responsible for benefits under covered policies. The bill also creates a specific evidentiary standard for bereavement claims by allowing a death certificate to serve as proof.

Sentiment

The available context suggests generally favorable treatment of the proposal, as reflected by the bill’s straightforward caption and the absence of recorded opposition, committee debate, or votes in the provided materials. The measure appears to be framed as a targeted expansion of an existing benefit rather than a broader restructuring of the paid family leave system. No formal sentiment from committee discussion is available, but the text indicates a policy intent to accommodate grieving workers.

Contention

The main policy issue is the scope and administration of paid leave for bereavement, including what documentation should be required and how quickly notice must be given. The bill resolves practical problems in the current framework by substituting a death certificate for medical certification and by exempting bereavement cases from physical-examination requirements that apply to caregiving claims. Potential points of contention could involve employer and carrier costs, verification standards, and whether the 2027 applicability date is appropriate, but no specific opposition is shown in the provided record.