New York Paid Prenatal Leave Balance & Pay Calculator
Calculate paid prenatal personal leave under New York Labor Law § 196-b (effective January 1, 2025). Tracks the 20-hour statutory entitlement per 52-week period, wage compensation at regular rate or minimum wage floor, and standalone benefit protections.
New York Paid Prenatal Leave Balance & Pay Calculator
Track statutory 20 hours of paid prenatal personal leave across your rolling 52-week entitlement window, payment rate, period reset, and regional minimum wage floors.
Paid Prenatal Leave Summary
Active 52-Week Period (2025-03-01 to 2026-02-28)$24.00/hr
Floor: $17.00/hr (Downstate)$84.00
For 3.50 approved hours12.50 Hours
Of 20.00-hour statutory entitlement$300.00
Unused balance valueStep-by-Step Calculation Breakdown
- •Active 52-week entitlement period: 2025-03-01 through 2026-02-28 (last valid date: 2026-02-28; next period can begin upon first use on or after 2026-03-01).
- •Statutory entitlement: 20 hours per 52-week period (NY Labor Law § 196-b).
- •Hours utilized in this 52-week period prior to current claim: 4.00 hours.
- •Available balance prior to current claim: 16.00 hours.
- •Requested leave: 3.50 hours. Approved paid leave: 3.50 hours at $24.00/hr ($84.00).
- •Remaining available prenatal leave balance: 12.50 hours ($300.00 value).
🛡️ Statutory Safeguards & Legal Rights
- ›Zero tip credit mandate: Tipped employees must receive their full regular rate or minimum wage with zero tip credit offset (NY Labor Law § 196-b).
- ›Independent leave bank: Paid Prenatal Leave is separate from and does not reduce or exhaust standard New York paid sick leave (40 or 56 hours).
New York's First-in-the-Nation Paid Prenatal Leave Law
Signed into law as part of the FY 2025 New York State Budget and effective January 1, 2025, New York became the first state in the United States to mandate dedicated, employer-paid prenatal personal leave for pregnant workers under an amendment to Labor Law § 196-b.
Key Statutory Provisions
- 20 Hours of Paid Leave: Covered pregnant employees are entitled to up to 20 hours of paid prenatal personal leave in any 52-week period.
- All Employers Covered: Unlike general paid sick leave which features headcount and revenue tiers, the paid prenatal leave requirement applies to all private employers regardless of company size.
- Immediate Availability: There is no statutory waiting or accrual period; eligible employees can access the 20 hours immediately upon hire.
- Separate from Standard Sick Leave: Prenatal leave is entirely distinct from standard New York paid sick leave (40 or 56 hours). Employers cannot require workers to exhaust their standard sick leave balance before using prenatal leave, nor can prenatal leave usage reduce accrued sick days.
- Covered Prenatal Purposes: Leave may be taken for health care services received during pregnancy or related to pregnancy, including routine examinations, doctor visits, monitoring, ultrasounds, prenatal blood tests, and discussions with health providers.
Compensation Rate & Zero Tip Credit
Paid prenatal leave must be compensated at the employee's regular rate of pay or the statutory minimum wage ($17.00 Downstate, $16.00 Upstate in 2026), whichever is higher. Tipped workers cannot have their prenatal leave pay diminished by tip credits; they must receive the full minimum wage or regular rate directly from their employer.