As 2025 begins, New York employers should keep in mind the following New York State laws taking effect in 2025:
Minimum Wage Increases
- The state minimum wage increased by $0.50 on January 1, 2025 and is scheduled to increase again by $0.50 on January 1, 2026.
- Up from $16.00, the hourly minimum wage for non-tipped workers New York City, Westchester County and Long Island increases to $16.50.
- Up from $15.00, the hourly minimum wage for non-tipped workers throughout the rest of New York State increases to $15.50.
Paid Prenatal Leave
Paid prenatal leave is a separate benefit from NYS sick leave or any other leave policies and laws. Accordingly, employees are entitled to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave in addition to any other available leave options. Employers cannot require an employee to choose one leave type over another or exhaust one type of leave before using paid prenatal leave.
As mentioned in last week’s article, pregnant employees in New York who work for private employers are eligible for 20 hours of paid leave for prenatal care.
Effective January 1, 2025, New York employers will be required to provide up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave to pregnant employees during any 52-week period for a long list of pregnancy-related doctor visits.