As of 2025, there will be five new laws for New Yorkers about paid parental leave, insulin costs, restaurant reservations, gym membership cancellation, and protection for fashion industry workers.
The first law is about paid parental leave. As of Jan 1st, pregnant women will have an additional 20 hours of paid leave and are not required to show any sort of medical information to do so. This extra time off can be used for “doctor’s appointments, products, or other types of parental care,” according to the website of New York State.
New York is the first state to offer this kind of treatment. However, Ms. Hochul said that pregnant women and their children have better health when they are given the proper treatment. “No one should ever have to fear seeking care because of the costs it will impose or time missed from work,” Ms. Hochul said.
The second law will eliminate co-pays for insulin. Insulin is a hormone that turns food into energy and manages blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, your body can’t make enough insulin. Insulin can also be given in the form of a shot.
The elimination will be covered by health insurance plans and caps the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Medicare beneficiaries. The American Diabetes Association says that there are 1.8 million people in New York who have diabetes. Ms. Hochul says she expects the law to save New Yorkers 14 million dollars in 2025.
The third law addresses restaurant reservations, making them slightly easier to get. Getting restaurant reservations has always been something like a game…a very hard one. However, this law aims to change that.
Reservations for two popular restaurants are being sold for hundreds of dollars—and not by the restaurants. The new law, taking effect in February, will make sure that reservations can’t be sold unless the restaurant approves of it.
The fourth law, also taking effect in February, makes canceling your own gym membership easier. When you notify a gym or other health club about canceling your membership, they have to refund you and process the cancellation within 10 days.
“This bill ensures that we empower New Yorkers to make the best choices for their health and well-being without being locked into contracts that no longer serve their needs,” said State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud.
The fifth new law will make jobs safer for models, influencers, and fashion workers in New York State. By June, modeling agencies will have to act in their clients’ best interest. The law will make it possible for workers to report harassment and limit the amount images can be changed with A.I.
The law’s sponsors, State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assemblywoman Karines Reyes, say the legislation will close “the legal loophole by which management companies escape accountability and create basic protections for fashion’s creative work force.”
