Paid Family Leave

Benefits coverage (e.g., medical, dental) continues during NYS PFL if required employee contributions are paid. Employee benefit deductions will continue to the extent there are sufficient wages on the payroll. Otherwise, RIT will recover missed amounts in subsequent payrolls or via third-party billing.

NYS PFL provides up to 12 weeks of benefits within a rolling 52-week period, using a single benefit pool for all eligible reasons, including:

Bonding time for a parent within 12 months of birth, adoption, or fostering a child.

Caring for a close family member with a serious health condition.

• A close family member is defined as:
  • Spouse/domestic partner
  • Child/stepchild and anyone for whom an employee has legal custody
  • Parent/stepparent
  • Parent-in-law
  • Grandparent 
  • Grandchild
  • Sibling
• A serious health condition is an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or resident health care facility and/or continuing treatment of continuing supervision by a health care provider. 

Assist with family needs when a family member is called to active military service in a foreign country.

• A family member is defined as:
  • Spouse/domestic partner
  • Child
  • Parent

NYS PFL may be taken intermittently or continuously but must be taken in full workday increments.

Visit the New York State Paid Family Leave for Family Care | Paid Family Leave for more information including examples of serious health conditions and military support leave.

NYS PFL is available to RIT employees, including adjuncts and student workers, who work in New York State and meet state-defined eligibility criteria:

• Employees scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week are eligible after 26 consecutive weeks of RIT service.
• Employees scheduled to work less than 20 hours per week are eligible after 175 days worked at RIT.

Paid vacation and sick/personal time may count towards an employee’s eligibility. However, time on Short-Term Disability (STD) does not.

Employees must notify their supervisor or department head within one (1) hour of their scheduled start time if unable to report to work.

Prudential, RIT’s insurance company for disability benefits, also provides Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and NYS PFL absence reporting. To begin, employees may call Prudential’s toll-free phone number 877-908-4778 or 844-778-4255/TTY or open the claim on Prudential’s website. Claims should be filed within 30 days of known absence or within two (2) days after an unplanned absence. Late or incomplete claim submissions may delay payments.

Information to Provide Prudential:

• Employer name
• RIT Control Number: 50757
• Employee ID
• Reason for absence
• First day absent
• Work schedule
• Expected or known return to work date
• Contact information for treating physician, if related to a serious health condition
• Relation of family member, if applicable

Timely reporting and submission of absences is critical. Unreported absences may be deemed unexcused. After three (3) consecutive days of unexcused absences, disciplinary action, including termination, may follow.

An employee’s wage benefit is 67% of their average weekly wage, capped at a state average weekly wage. The state average updates annually so an employee’s weekly wage may change. Below are the maximum weekly benefits for previous, current, and next years:

Leaves that began in 2024: Maximum weekly benefit of $1,151.16

Leaves that began in 2025: Maximum weekly benefit of $1,177.32

Leaves that begin in 2026: Maximum weekly benefit of $1,228.53

NYS PFL wages are paid directly by Prudential, not through normal RIT payroll. Employees will set up a payment system with Prudential upon opening their claim. PFL benefits are taxable.

Employees may supplement periods of reduced wages with available sick/personal time or vacation to maintain full pay. To request supplement periods of reduced wages, employees must email the RIT Leave Administration team at fmla@rit.edu.  

Employees on approved continuous or intermittent NYS PFL during a university holiday or early closure are paid applicable NYS PFL wages. Holiday time is not paid out or carried forward.

Reminder: NYS PFL must be taken in full workday increments.

• Not perform any work while on approved NYS PFL. NYS PFL benefits are provided for full leave away from work, which means an employee may not perform any RIT related work including emails during their leave.  Employees are permitted to complete benefit-related actions such as open enrollment.
• Communicate leave updates, including requested dates, extensions, and return-to-work dates, to Prudential and their manager.
• Ensure all required paperwork is submitted to Prudential promptly, including from medical providers.
• Request supplemental time off, if desired, to the RIT Leave Administration team at fmla@rit.edu.
• Notify Prudential and the Leave Administration team promptly if permanently relocated outside of New York State.

Eligible RIT employees from the same family may qualify for NYS PFL but cannot take leave at the same time to care for the same relative.

FMLA is a federal law that provides up to 12 weeks of job protected absences for eligible employees. NYS PFL can be taken by employees who are eligible for time off under the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). NYS PFL runs concurrently with designated FMLA leave when the reason for leave qualifies under both. Eligible employees in all states must then apply for FMLA with Prudential. 

Additional information regarding FMLA and NYS PFL:

• FMLA is a federal law; NYS PFL is state based.
• FMLA is unpaid; NYS PFL offers partial pay.
• FMLA covers an employee’s own health; NYS PFL does not.
• NYS PFL covers more family members (e.g., grandparents, in-laws).
• NYS PFL requires full-day increments; FMLA allows partial days.

Employees may qualify for and use NYS PFL, STD, and Workers’ Compensation absence benefits in the same calendar year. These leaves may be taken in sequence, but not concurrently. Combined, these leaves are limited to 26 weeks in a rolling 52-week period.

Employees must notify Prudential and their manager of absence dates, including their return to work.

Employees should visit State Paid Leaves to navigate to their states’ benefits website platform which will include how to apply, eligibility information, and any changes made by the state. Employees may also inquire directly with their home state.

Once an employee applies for and receives confirmation of the state benefits, they must send official written documentation to RIT at fmla@rit.edu. This documentation must include dates of leave and pay received by the state.

Eligible employees must also apply for Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) benefits and RIT Supplemental Pay, if eligible, through Prudential. See the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and NYS Paid Family Leave tab above for Prudential application steps.

If an employee’s home state does not offer state leave, they must contact the RIT Leave Administration team at fmla@rit.edu for further assistance.

Employees may qualify for and use state leave and STD absence benefits in the same calendar year. These leaves may be taken in sequence, but not concurrently. Combined, these leaves are limited to 26 weeks in a rolling 52-week period.  

• Learn more about Non-New York State STD Benefit at this link: Short Term Disability | Human Resources | RIT

An employee’s wage benefit may vary depending upon the state’s benefit.

Employees may supplement periods of reduced wages with available sick/personal time or vacation to maintain full pay. To request supplement periods of reduced wages, employees must email the RIT Leave Administration team at fmla@rit.edu.  

Employees on approved continuous or intermittent state leave during a university holiday or early closure are paid applicable leave wages. Holiday time is not paid out or carried forward.

• Not perform any work while on approved state paid leave including responding to or reading emails during the leave. Employees are permitted to complete benefit-related actions such as open enrollment.
• Communicate leave updates, including requested dates, extensions, and return-to-work dates, to Prudential, the applicable state platform, and their manager.
• Ensure all required paperwork is submitted to Prudential and the state platform promptly, including from medical providers.
• Request supplement time off, if desired, to the RIT Leave Administration team at fmla@rit.edu.
• Notify Prudential, the state platform, and the Leave Administration team promptly if permanently relocated outside of their home state.

FMLA is a federal law that provides up to 12 weeks of job protected absences for eligible employees. State administered leave can be taken by employees who are eligible for time off under the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). State leave will run concurrently with designated FMLA leave when the reason for leave qualifies under both. Eligible employees in all states must then apply for their state leave as dictated by the state and FMLA with Prudential. 

Employees must notify Prudential, the state platform, and their manager of absence dates, including their return to work.