New Yorkers may soon get 12 weeks of bereavement leave

New Yorkers may soon get 12 weeks of bereavement leaveNew Yorkers may soon get 12 weeks of bereavement leaveWhen a family member dies people can suffer unspeakable loss and need time to grieve. If they live in New York all workers may soon be guaranteed 12 weeks of bereavement leave if a new bill passes.The mandatory bereavement leave bill would include coverage for the death of a workers spouse or domestic partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent or grandchild andreceive up to two-thirds (or anywhere from 50%-67%) of their weekly pay during this time.According to the New York Post, the NY average weekly wage is currently $1,357 so the most a worker would get during the leave comes out to $680 per week.The bill was sponsored by state Sen. Rich Funke (R-Fairport) and Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle (D-Rochester.) It has already been passed in the Senate and the Assembly though The Business Council of New York State opposes paid bereavement. The bill still needs to be reviewed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.Most employers (94%) offer a paid bereavement leave of an average of only three days which is up 11% from 2016, according to studies by the grenzberschreitend Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP.)Only 3% of employers offer six or more days of bereavement for a parent or child death and just 5% for a spouse.