FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 29, 2017

Speaker Heastie Statement on Implementation of Paid Family Leave and Statewide Wage Increases


My colleagues and I in the Assembly Majority know that families are the heartbeat of our communities. That is why we consistently fight for policies and programs that put New York Families First. In 2016, we championed a paid family leave program and fought for a wage increase that better reflects the ever-increasing cost of living.

In 2018, those hard fought gains will become a reality for hardworking families across the state as we begin to implement New York's Paid Family Leave program and continue to raise wages for every minimum wage worker in the state.

We believe no one should ever have to choose between financial security and bonding with a new child or caring for a sick family member. We also believe that no one who works full-time should struggle to make ends meet. These changes will help ensure that every New Yorker can put their own family first.