New state minimum wage, prenatal leave laws in effect

With the start of 2025, some new policies have gone into effect for New Yorkers, as recently announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Wages have been impacted. Workers in New York State earning the minimum wage will now see a jump in their paychecks of $0.50 per hour, bringing the hourly total to $15.50. The only exceptions are residents of New York City, Long Island and Westchester County, who continue to earn a dollar more per hour than their counterparts in the rest of the state. Their minimum wage is jumping to $16.50 per hour.

The paid prenatal leave law is now in effect. The law, which is the first in the nation, enables any privately employed pregnant New York resident to take up to 20 hours of paid leave for prenatal care for a range of services including but not limited to physical examinations, fertility treatment, medical procedures and end of pregnancy care. The paid prenatal leave law is in addition to the New York State Paid Family Leave, existing employer-paid leaves and existing sick leave requirements. The law is applicable to both part-time and full-time employees, and applies to all private employers in the state.

Diabetics in New York may see some financial relief with an initiative which eliminates insulin co-pays on state-regulated health insurance plans. This plan is estimated to come with an annual savings of up to $1,200 for those who qualify.

With rising costs impacting New Yorkers on multiple levels, the governor is seeking to address some everyday fiscal concerns with the new legislation in place. “The cost of living is just too damn high so I’m doing everything in my power to make New York more affordable for families,” Hochul said.