New York Minimum Wage Increase on January 1

On January 1, 2025, the minimum wage will increase by $0.50 across New York State. Minimum wage in the New York Metropolitan area, which includes New York City, Westchester and Long Island will increase from $16 to $16.50 per hour. Wages across the rest of the state will increase from $15 to $15.50 per hour.

Minimum wage will increase $0.50 again on January 1, 2026. Beginning January 1, 2027, minimum wage will be tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) and will be adjusted annually. Specific “off-ramps” can freeze indexed increases in the occurrence of economic downturns or budget crises.

For more information, visit:

https://dol.ny.gov/minimum-wage-0

New York State Paid Prenatal Leave to Begin on January 1

Beginning January 1, 2025, New York will require paid time off for prenatal and medical care related to pregnancy.

Under this policy, proposed in Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State, any privately employed pregnant New Yorker will be eligible for an additional 20 hours of paid sick leave for pregnancy-related medical appointments, on top of their existing sick leave benefits.

For more information, visit:

https://www.ny.gov/programs/new-york-state-paid-prenatal-leave