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Tompkins County previews three paid leave models — state opt-in, hybrid supplement and county‑funded parental leave
Summary
HR presented Model A (opt into NYS Paid Family Leave at 67% wage replacement), Model B (state benefit plus county supplement to reach 100% pay), and Model C (county‑funded parental bonding leave at 100% pay). Committee requested cost modeling, union engagement and employee surveys.
HR staff and the county’s personnel team briefed the Budget & Capital Planning Committee on three options for paid caregiver/parental leave on May 11 and described next steps for employee and bargaining‑unit outreach.
The HR presenter described Model A as an opt‑in to New York State Paid Family Leave: qualifying events include birth, adoption, foster placement and family care; eligibility depends on tenure (26 consecutive weeks for full‑time employees) and benefits are capped at statutory levels (67% of average weekly pay with a 2026 weekly maximum based on state figures). For 2026 the employee premium was described at 0.432% of gross wages with an annual contribution cap of $411.91.
Model B would combine the state benefit with a county supplement so employees receive 100% of pay while on leave. “The state covers the initial 67%. The county just makes them whole by paying at least 33%,” the HR presenter said, noting higher earners could require a larger top‑up because of the state wage cap.
Model C is a county‑funded parental leave program restricted to bonding (birth, adoption, long‑term foster placement) that pays 100% of wages for up to 12 weeks per 52‑week period without going through the state system; HR warned this would make the county self‑insured for that leave if expanded beyond parental bonding.
Members asked how these options interact with existing county disability benefits and service‑credit rules. HR said New York State treats paid family leave and disability as not concurrent for benefit counting, and that some white‑collar disability entitlements (75–115 days depending on tenure) might reduce the practical amount of additional bonding leave available unless policy is structured accordingly.
HR will schedule information sessions for department heads and bargaining‑unit representatives, distribute surveys, and return with modeled cost estimates and union implications before the committee recommends a formal option to the full legislature. No final policy decision or vote was taken at this meeting.
