Hochul Wants to Raise Temporary Disability Benefit for Sick or Injured Workers

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Governor Hochul's new state budget includes a proposal to increase the benefit available for temporary disability when someone is unable to work. The benefit includes pregnancy related conditions. Short term disability is not work related, on the job disabilities fall under workers compensation benefits. Short term disability often requires periodic doctor's reports on progress as well.

You may be eligible for short-term disability benefits if you can’t work and are losing wages because of a non-work-related illness, injury or pregnancy.

Short-term disability insurance typically covers you for three to six months.

The current weekly maximum rate is $170.00 per week, an amount that has not changed since 1989. Once taxes and social security are deducted, it does not leave much to live on. The current NY minimum wage for most of the state is $15. per hour, or $600. per week for a 40 hour work week.

Most workers are not aware of how little the benefit pays until they need it. The current disability amount does not come close to being enough. "The temporary disability payments are far lower than the more recently enacted paid family leave program, which pays a maximum of over $1000.00 a week."

Ideally there would be a tie-in to the inflation rate going forward to maintain parity. The weekly benefits are paid through payroll deduction contributions from workers, and employers.