THE NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF A...

New Online Hub Centralizes Services for Working Families

This Mother's Day, the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) is reminding working moms about the many benefits and protections New York State has to support them and highlighting a new resource to help families access these systems. The new Services for Working Families hub is a user-friendly, online site to help families navigate needs and services for varying stages of life and work. Whether preparing to go on parental leave, searching for child care assistance, or getting a young New Yorker ready to enter the workforce, New York State can help.

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, "This new resource makes it easier for working parents to find important information and access useful services that will support them and their children right from pregnancy. I thank Governor Hochul for continuing to lead the nation in showing how government can better protect working parents and their ability to care for their families while earning a paycheck."

The webpage centralizes resources on New York State policies and benefits, including helpful links to New York State agency services, including:

Paid Leave and Benefits for Working Families

New York State offers robust paid leave programs designed to support working families, including:

• Paid Prenatal Leave : Earlier this year, Governor Kathy Hochul marked the one-year anniversary of New York's first-in-the-nation Paid Prenatal Leave law. This nation-leading law grants eligible workers the ability to take paid leave for any pregnancy-related medical appointments. In 2025, this new law provided up to 2.7 million hours of leave for pregnant workers.
• Paid Family Leave : New York State Paid Family Leave provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of job-protected, paid time off to bond with a new child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service. This time can be taken all at once or in increments of full days.

New York State Workers' Compensation Board Chair Freida D. Foster said, "One of the most meaningful gifts a mother can give her child is a strong, lasting bond, one that helps to create overall well-being for years to come. That's why the Board is proud to administer the Paid Family Leave benefit, and we encourage every eligible family member to take advantage of it, embrace that time together because it truly matters."

Child Care Resources

NYSDOL seeks to ensure that parents have clear pathways for support, children receive the care and security they deserve, and workplaces across the state empower families to succeed. Governor Hochul has championed initiatives to expand maternal health care and ensure access to child care:

• Paid Breaks for Breast Milk Expression : In 2024, Governor Hochul signed a new law requiring employers to provide 30 minutes of paid break time for employees to express breast milk for up to three years following childbirth.
• Expanded Maternal Health Care Access: Legislation signed by Governor Hochul in 2024 permits pregnant New Yorkers to enroll in health insurance policies without penalty and requires health insurers to provide coverage for prenatal vitamins.
• Child Care Resources & Universal Pre-K: Recognizing that child care is the backbone of a strong economy, Governor Hochul is committed to ensuring no New Yorker must choose between their career and caring for their children. She is pushing to implement universal child care and Pre-K for every single family across New York State, regardless of income, by the 2028-2029 school year. This initiative aims to allow working parents to fully participate in the workforce without sacrificing safe and reliable child care, benefiting everyone.

Youth Entering the Workforce

NYSDOL offers resources for parents to introduce the world of work to young New Yorkers.

• Youth Worker Information Hub: An online guide to help youth, their parents, and employers understand the rights and responsibilities in the workplace. This webpage features important information including the Youth Worker Bill of Rights, minimum wage, and federal and state prohibited occupations for minors.
• Youth Working Papers: While paper forms are still required, NYSDOL is working to modernize the system. NYSDOL is creating a convenient one-stop online portal that simplifies the process for obtaining work permits for young workers, their parents and guardians, school districts, and businesses. The new system is set to launch next year.

Visit NYSDOL's Services for Working Families hub for more information.