Paid Family Leave Resources

Paid Family Leave (PFL) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Claiming PFL Benefits PFL Frequently Asked Questions

Paid Family Leave (PFL) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

PFL adds monetary support and job security to the federally mandated, unpaid time off benefits provided by FMLA. If you take a Paid Family Leave for an FMLA-qualifying reason, the leaves are concurrent.

Here is a side-by-side comparison of FMLA vs. NY Paid Family Leave:

Category	FMLA	NY PFL
Eligible Associates	Employed for 12 months and worked 1,250 hours in the preceding 12 months	Employed for 26 consecutive weeks (no hourly requirements), or if working less than 20 hours per week, 175 days
Length of Leave	Up to 12 weeks in a 12-month period	Up to 12 weeks in a 52-week period
Accrued Time Off	Required to use accrued paid leave time	Not required to use accrued leave
Qualifying Events	New child – Yes Sick family member – Yes Military – Yes Your own qualifying event – Yes	New child – Yes Sick family member – Yes Military – Yes Your own qualifying event – No
Health Insurance	Maintain as if actively employed	Maintain as if actively employed
Job Restoration	Return to position held prior to leave, or to an "equivalent" job virtually identical to the original job in terms of pay, benefits, and other employment terms/conditions	Return to position held prior to leave or to a comparable position with comparable benefits, pay, terms and conditions of employment
Definition of "Family Member"	Child Parent Spouse	Child Parent (including Adoptive or Stepparent) Spouse Sibling (including adopted, half, or step sibling) Grandparent Grandchild Domestic Partner

Claiming PFL Benefits

You will need to file a Request for Paid Family Leave and provide documentation to support your Paid Family Leave request. There is one claim form packet for each leave type under PFL: Bonding, Caregiver, or Military Exigency. Within 18 days of filing a complete claim for benefits, Montefiore’s Paid Family Leave insurance carrier will issue PFL benefits or deny the claim and provide an explanation of the denial.

Appropriate documentation includes:

For Birth

The birth mother will need:

Birth Certificate, or
Documentation of pregnancy or birth from a health care provider (includes mother’s name and due/birth dates)

A second parent will need:

Birth Certificate, or
Documentation of pregnancy or birth from a health care provider (includes mother’s name and due/birth dates). If the second parent is not named on the birth certificate, the second parent must provide an acknowledgement of paternity, order of filiation, or other evidence of relationship with the parent named by medical provider or birth certificate.
Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity, or
Court Order of Filiation, or
Copy of documentation for birth mother (above) plus second document verifying relationship to the mother

For Foster Care

Letter of placement issued by county or city department of social services or local voluntary agency
If second parent is not named in documentation, a copy of that document plus a second document verifying relationship to the parent named in the foster care placement

For Adoption

Legal evidence of adoption process
If the second parent is not named on the birth certificate, the second parent must provide:
- Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity, or
- Court Order of Filiation, or
- Second document verifying relationship to the mother or the child

For a Family Member’s Serious Medical Condition

Certification from the care recipient’s health care provider

For Military Service

U.S. Department of Labor Military Family Leave Certification (Federal Military Leave Form)
Copy of military duty papers
Other documentation supporting the reason for the leave (e.g., copy of meeting notice, ceremony details, rest and recuperation orders)

PFL Frequently Asked Questions

Question	Answer
How Does PFL Coordinate With Other Paid Time Off?	When time off qualifies as family leave under PFL, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Maternity, Paternity or Childrearing Leave, leave entitlements will run concurrently. You may not receive more than the maximum family leave available under either the PFL or the FMLA. You may choose, but are not required to use available vacation, paid sick time (not for your own health condition) or available Maternity, Paternity or Childbearing Leave in lieu of PFL benefits. All payments of wage-replacement benefits and accrued paid leave will be integrated so that you will receive no more than your regular compensation during a PFL leave. When your paid time off also qualifies as PFL and is taken in lieu of PFL benefits, the time off will count against your PFL entitlement.
Does Paid Family Leave Cost Me Anything?	Yes, the premium for New York’s Paid Family Leave is paid through payroll deductions.
Do I Have To Participate In The Paid Family Leave Program?	Yes, Paid Family Leave insurance is not optional unless you are not scheduled to work long enough to be eligible for benefits. Associates working 20 or more hours per week who will not work 26 consecutive weeks and those who work less than 20 or more hours a week and will not work 175 days will not be eligible for Paid Family Leave benefits.
I Am Pregnant. Will I Be Able To Receive Paid Family Leave During My Pregnancy?	Paid Family Leave only begins after the birth of your child. It is not available for pre-natal conditions.
Will I Be Able To Use Paid Family Leave To Take Care Of An Eligible Relative Living Outside New York?	Yes, as long as you are caring for an eligible family member, and provide medical certification.
Will I Be Able To Use Paid Family Leave If I Work Part-Time?	You must complete 175 days of work part-time (less than 20 hours a week) to be eligible for a Paid Family Leave benefit.
Do I Have To Take All Of My Available Paid Time Off Before I Use Paid Family Leave?	You may use available paid time off to care for a sick family member for full salary, but it is not required. Montefiore’s PFL Policy (HR Policy III-18) has specifics regarding usage of available paid time off during a PFL.
My Spouse And I Both Work At Montefiore, May We Use Paid Family Leave At The Same Time?	Paid Family Leave is available to only one of you at a time to care for the same family member, or to bond with a child. If you and your spouse have different employers, you are both eligible to take Paid Family Leave at the same time.
Will Montefiore Pay My Salary While I Am On Leave?	No. You will receive the Paid Family Leave benefits through a Temporary Disability Insurance policy unless you use other paid time off provided by Montefiore under its policies.
I Am New To Montefiore. When Will I Be Eligible For Paid Family Leave?	You become eligible for Paid Family Leave benefits after 26 weeks from the date you were hired. If you are a part-time associate working less than 20 hours per week, you become eligible after working 175 days.
How Does Paid Family Leave (PFL) Coordinate With The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)?	PFL adds monetary support and job security to the federally mandated, unpaid time off benefits provided by FMLA, when taking a Paid Family Leave for an FMLA-qualifying reason, and if leaves are concurrent. Time off that qualifies under both PFL and FMLA will run concurrently.
Will I Be Able To Take Paid Family Leave On An Hourly Basis?	No, Paid Family Leave is only available in full day or weekly increments, but it can be taken intermittently, so you can take only the full days off during the week when you are caring for your relative or bonding with a child.
Can I Have Multiple Intermittent Paid Family Leave Claims At The Same Time?	Yes, you may potentially need to care for multiple qualified family members but may not exceed the maximum leave benefit in a 52-week period.
If I Receive 12 Weeks Of Paid Family Leave Benefits To Bond With My Newborn And Then One Of My Parents Becomes Seriously Ill Later In The Year, Will I Be Able To Receive Paid Family Leave Benefits Again Since It Is For A Different Reason?	No. You are only eligible for the maximum benefit in year.
Can I Take Both Temporary Disability And Paid Family Leave?	Your combined total disability leave and Paid Family Leave in any 52 week period may not exceed 26 weeks. New York State Disability benefits cannot be combined with PFL benefits.