State Disability Insurance
New York Disability Benefits (DBL)
How Does Short-Term Disability Work in New York?
Short term disability in NY comes from the state's Disability Benefits Law (DBL), which requires virtually every employer to carry coverage for off-the-job illness or injury. It pays 50 percent of your average weekly wage for your last eight weeks of work, up to a maximum the Workers' Compensation Board says is currently $170 a week, for up to 26 weeks. Benefits start on the eighth day of disability, and you file Form DB-450 with your employer or its carrier within 30 days. Compare other states on the state disability insurance page.
What New York Disability Benefits Pay
New York’s Disability Benefits Law (DBL) gives you weekly cash to replace part of your wages when an injury or illness that didn’t happen at work keeps you from working. It’s what most New Yorkers mean by “short-term disability.”
| Rule | What the Workers’ Compensation Board says |
|---|---|
| Weekly benefit | 50 percent of your average weekly wage for the last eight weeks you worked |
| Weekly maximum | Currently $170 |
| How long it lasts | Up to 26 weeks of disability in any 52 consecutive weeks |
| Waiting period | 7 days with no benefits; payments begin on the eighth consecutive day |
| Taxes | Subject to Social Security and Medicare taxes |
| Filing deadline | Within 30 days after you become disabled |
Because the benefit is half your recent pay, anyone whose average weekly wage is more than twice the cap gets the cap. If counting the week your disability started would lower your rate, that week is left out.
DBL pays cash only. The Board says medical care is your responsibility, so your health insurance still handles doctor and hospital bills.
Who Is Covered by DBL
Virtually all employers in New York State must provide disability benefits coverage for their employees. New York is one of a handful of states with this requirement. Your employer either buys a policy from an insurance carrier authorized by the state or, if it’s large enough, is authorized by the Board to self-insure.
Your employer may take a small contribution from your pay to help cover the cost: one half of one percent of your wages, but no more than 60 cents a week. If you work two jobs at once with combined wages over $120 a week, you can ask each employer to split the contribution in proportion to your earnings.
Some accepted plans charge employees more than 60 cents a week, but only by agreement and when the cost is reasonably related to the value of the benefits. If you’re not sure your employer has coverage, the Board has an online employer coverage search.
Who Qualifies for Short-Term Disability in NY
To get disability benefits you must be under the care of one of these licensed providers:
- a physician,
- a chiropractor,
- a podiatrist,
- a psychologist,
- a dentist, or
- a certified nurse midwife.
A “day of disability” is a day your condition kept you from working and you weren’t paid your regular wages. If you do any work for pay or profit, even from home, you’re ineligible for that time.
A few situations change the picture:
- You quit your job. Quitting may affect your right to benefits.
- Elective surgery. Benefits aren’t paid for time off after elective surgery, such as an elective sterilization.
- Auto accident. You can get disability benefits, but they may reduce your no-fault insurance benefit.
- Social Security retirement. You can get disability benefits and Social Security retirement at the same time.
If You Become Disabled While Unemployed
You can still qualify for disability benefits if you get sick or hurt while out of work. Who pays depends on how long you’ve been unemployed:
- Unemployed less than four weeks: your last employer’s carrier pays, and the 7-day waiting period applies.
- Unemployed more than four weeks and collecting unemployment insurance: the Board’s Special Fund for Disability pays, and there’s no waiting period.
You can’t collect unemployment and disability benefits for the same period.
How to Apply for NY State Disability With Form DB-450
The claim form is the Notice and Proof of Claim for Disability Benefits, Form DB-450. You can get it from the Board’s website, your employer, your employer’s insurance carrier, your health care provider or any Board office.
- Complete and sign Part A, the “Claimant’s Statement.”
- Have your health care provider complete and sign Part B, the “Health Care Provider’s Statement.”
- Send it within 30 days after you become disabled.
- If your disability started within four weeks of your last day of work, file with your employer or its insurance carrier.
- If you’re collecting unemployment and your disability started more than four weeks after your last day of work, mail it to the Workers’ Compensation Board, Disability Benefits Bureau, PO Box 9029, Endicott, NY 13761-9029.
- If your disability came from a no-fault car accident or someone else’s negligence and you’re filing with the Special Fund, also file Form DB-450.1.
If you’ve been disabled more than seven days, your employer must give you a Statement of Rights under the Disability Benefits Law (Form DB-271S) within five days of learning you’re disabled.
Your employer or its carrier may ask you to see a health care provider it chooses. Exams can happen no more than once a week, at a reasonable time and place, and you don’t pay for them.
Pregnancy and Maternity Leave
If you’re pregnant, you’re eligible for disability benefits for four weeks before your due date and six weeks after giving birth, or eight weeks after a Caesarean section. With documentation from your provider, you may get more, up to the 26-week maximum.
You’ll need a medical report from a doctor or certified nurse midwife stating that your disability is due to pregnancy or recovery from delivery. Physical and mental health conditions related to pregnancy or postpartum recovery may qualify. If your disability starts more than four weeks before the expected birth, or lasts more than four to six weeks after it, the report should describe the specific complications.
After birth, you can take your disability weeks and then Paid Family Leave any time in the first 12 months, or skip disability and take Paid Family Leave right away. You can’t take both at once.
Disability Benefits vs New York Paid Family Leave
New York Paid Family Leave (PFL) is a separate benefit, and people often mix the two up. DBL is for your own illness or injury. PFL is for bonding with a new child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or helping when a family member is deployed abroad.
| Disability Benefits (DBL) | Paid Family Leave (PFL) | |
|---|---|---|
| Reason | Your own off-the-job illness, injury or pregnancy | Bonding, caring for a family member, military deployment |
| Weekly amount | 50 percent of your average weekly wage | 67% of your average weekly wage |
| Weekly maximum | Currently $170 | $1,228.53 in 2026 |
| Length | Up to 26 weeks in 52 | Up to 12 weeks in 52 |
| Paid for by | Your employer’s disability coverage, with an optional employee contribution of up to 60 cents a week | Employee payroll deductions, 0.432% of gross wages in 2026 |
You can’t collect both at the same time, and your combined DBL and PFL can’t exceed 26 weeks in any 52-week period. Each needs its own request and paperwork. If you’re the one caring for a parent, spouse or child, see how to get paid as a family caregiver.
If Your Benefits Stop or You Need Help
If you’ve received less than 26 weeks of benefits, you’re still disabled, and you haven’t received a Notice of Rejection, send further medical evidence to request more benefits. Keep copies of everything you and your provider submit, and note the date you sent each one.
For questions about a disability claim, call the Workers’ Compensation Board’s customer service line at (877) 632-4996, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Board offers free language assistance on that line, including Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Yiddish, Arabic, Polish, Italian, French and Urdu.
If your employer doesn’t seem to have coverage, use the Board’s employer coverage search. New York requires virtually every employer to carry disability and Paid Family Leave coverage, and the Board lists penalties for employers that don’t have it.
PFL’s funding also differs. It may be paid for by employee payroll deductions, which are 0.432% of gross wages in 2026, up to $411.91 a year. DBL contributions from your pay are capped at 60 cents a week.
When You Need More Than 26 Weeks
DBL ends at 26 weeks. If your condition is expected to last at least 12 months, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) may be the next step, and you can apply while DBL is still paying. Read the SSDI guide, the steps in how to apply for disability, and check your work credits with the eligibility screener.
For New York’s Medicaid programs, vocational rehabilitation and parking placard rules, see the New York disability help page and how to get a disability parking placard. If you need changes at work when you return, read about workplace accommodations. To compare New York with other states, see the California SDI and New Jersey temporary disability guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Get NY Disability Benefits and Social Security Retirement at the Same Time?
Yes. The Workers' Compensation Board says you can receive disability benefits and Social Security retirement benefits at the same time.
Does New York Disability Pay My Medical Bills?
No. Disability benefits are cash-only and replace part of your lost wages. The Board says medical care is the employee's responsibility, and Paid Family Leave doesn't pay medical expenses either.
What if I Was Hurt in a Car Accident?
You're entitled to disability benefits for an off-the-job auto accident injury, but the benefit may reduce the no-fault insurance benefit you can get. If you're filing with the Special Fund, also complete Form DB-450.1 about no-fault or third-party claims.
Can the Insurance Company Make Me See Its Doctor?
Yes. Your employer or its carrier may have a health care provider examine you, no more than once a week, at a reasonable time and place, and you don't pay for the exam. Refusing can put your benefits at risk.
My Benefits Stopped but I'm Still Disabled. What Do I Do?
If you've received less than 26 weeks of benefits, you're still disabled and you haven't received a Notice of Rejection, submit more medical evidence to request additional benefits.
Does Disability Cover Elective Surgery?
No. The Board says benefits aren't payable for any period you can't work because of elective surgery, such as an elective sterilization procedure.
More on State Disability Insurance
- State Disability InsuranceThe state short-term disability and paid medical leave programs, compared
- California SDICalifornia State Disability Insurance: who's covered, benefit amounts and filing a claim
- New Jersey TDINew Jersey Temporary Disability Insurance: eligibility, weekly benefits and filing
- SSDIHow Social Security Disability Insurance works: work credits, the disability test, the waiting period, amounts and Medicare
- SSIHow Supplemental Security Income works: income and resource limits, the 2026 federal payment, state supplements and Medicaid
- SSDI vs SSIThe differences between SSDI and SSI, side by side, and when you can get both
This guide explains official rules in plain language. It isn't legal advice, and only the agency that runs a program can decide your case.