Yesterday, a new bill was introduced to improve New Yorkers’ access to paid family and medical leave, drawing the support of patients, survivors and patient advocacy groups across the state. The new compromise bill, Senate Bill 9840 / Assembly Bill 10561 aims to improve benefits within the Temporary Disability Insurance program through increased job protection, health insurance continuation and full intermittent leave.
New York currently maintains a Paid Family Leave (PFL) and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) program, which enable patients to take time for their or a loved one’s treatment. The shortest duration that a patient may take under the PFL benefit is one day at a time, and the TDI program does not cover any intermittent leave. For many cancer patients, this is problematic given that cancer care often demands sporadic or intermittent time off.
A nationwide survey of cancer patients showed that, of those who had to take unpaid leave during their treatment, 37% took time off intermittently, either in increments of hours or days at a time, where 11% had a mix of increments—from hours to days to weeks. For those who benefitted from paid medical leave, 30% took time in increments of hours or days.
Senator Jessica Ramos and Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages are the prime sponsors of the newly introduced legislation. They also introduced earlier this year (Senate Bill 2821B / Assembly Bill 4053B) which aimed to institute intermittent leave.
Last month, advocates with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) rallied at the Capitol to ask lawmakers to support efforts to reform the PFL and TDI programs to accurately reflect the lived experience of cancer patients, who need to take time off for less than a week at a time.
Among the ACS CAN advocates at the Capitol last month was breast cancer survivor Danielle Doucette, who, in her conversations with lawmakers, emphasized the need for them to expand the state’s paid family and medical leave program.
“Too many New Yorkers are forced to choose between working during their treatment to pay the bills or taking unpaid leave to focus on healing. We need a paid family and medical leave program that reflects the needs of the people it aims to serve. Senate Bill 9840 / Assembly Bill 10561 would secure that for patients and families across the state,” said Doucette.
Michael Davoli, Senior Government Relations Director for ACS CAN in New York, said, “Families across New York see this proposal as a critical step to ensuring that a diagnosis—of cancer or otherwise—does not define their physical or financial health. Everyone at ACS CAN applauds Senator Ramos and Assemblyman Solages for their leadership on this issue and urges their colleagues to take up this bill and pass it and Governor Hochul to sign it before they adjourn for the summer.”
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About ACS CAN
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.