Family, Children & Caregiving · Surprise rank #404
New York Gives Pregnant Workers 20 Paid Hours for Prenatal Visits From Day One
NY Paid Prenatal Leave grants 20 hours of paid time off per year for prenatal care, effective on day one of employment, completely separate from standard sick leave.
Who
Pregnant employees covered by New York labor law.
What to do
Start here: Request prenatal personal leave from the employer and document retaliation or denial.
Eligibility: Time must be used for the employee's prenatal health-care services.
What you get
New York employees receive a separate bank of paid time off for prenatal medical care, in addition to ordinary sick leave.
Benefit: Up to 20 hours of paid prenatal personal leave in a 52-week period.
Possible value: Up to 20 hours of wages plus protection from using ordinary sick time for prenatal visits.
Good to know
Important: It covers the pregnant employee's care, not a partner accompanying them, and does not replace parental leave.
Availability: Ongoing; effective January 1, 2025.
Why people miss it: The right is new and many employers and employees confuse it with Paid Family Leave or sick leave.
Sources reviewed: Aug 2, 2026