Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. (I, D, WF, WE - Sag Harbor) today announced that he helped pass legislation that he co-sponsored to add bereavement to Paid Family Leave (PFL) beginning in 2020 (A.10639-A/S.8380-A). Allowing individuals to take sufficient time off to grieve after the death of a family member is critical to the individual’s physical and emotional health.

This bill expands on Paid Family Leave, allowing people to take time to grieve after the death of a family member without facing possible financial security risks or other repercussions upon returning to work. Individuals can use PFL for bereavement in one of two manners. First, it would allow individuals to use PFL after the death of a family member. Second, it would allow individuals who have been using PFL to care for a family member to use any remaining PFL as bereavement time.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management 2016 Paid Leave in the Workplace Survey, on average four days are allotted for the death of a spouse or child. However, the inability to take time to process grief not only has an impact on a person’s health and their family, it also has a profound impact on their ability to carry out day-to-day tasks. Unresolved grief can cause severe psychological stress. Allowing individuals the necessary time to grieve leads to an improved quality of life, increases employee loyalty, betters outcomes and creates an overall healthier workforce.

Paid Family Leave was included in the State Fiscal Year 2016-17 enacted budget, and will gradually provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave benefits for eligible workers to care for an infant, a family member with a serious health condition or to ease the burden placed on families when earners are called into active military service. Benefits began this year with 8 weeks of leave payable at 50 percent of an employee's average weekly wage, up to 50 percent of the statewide average weekly wage, and by 2021, the program will provide up to 12 weeks of leave payable at 67 percent of the employees average weekly wage, up to 67 percent of the statewide average weekly wage. The program is self-sustaining and is funded entirely through a small payroll deduction from each employee.

The legislation to add bereavement to Paid Family Leave will be delivered to the Governor for consideration.