This page provides essential information for Lehigh University's fully remote employees residing in New York, outlining key state-specific labor laws, rights, and compliance requirements.
General Labor Laws & Employee Rights
Familiarize yourself with your fundamental rights as a worker in New York State:
- Know Your Rights At Work - Workers' Bill of Rights
- Labor Law Poster English
- Labor Law Poster Spanish
New York Paid Family Leave (NY PFL)
Lehigh University is committed to supporting our employees through significant life events. New York's Paid Family Leave program provides job-protected, paid time off for eligible employees.
All eligible employees are entitled to review the official Paid Family Leave Statement of Rights. This document outlines your protections and benefits under the law.
Request Process for Paid Family Leave
To request Paid Family Leave, please follow these steps carefully:
- Notify the Human Resources Office at 610-398-3900 at least 30 days in advance if your leave is foreseeable. If not foreseeable, please notify HR as soon as possible.
- Complete and submit the Request for Paid Family Leave (Form PFL-1) to Lehigh's Human Resources Office (inhro@lehigh.edu) using LU File Sender for secure transmission.
- You must submit your complete request package directly to Lehigh's insurance carrier, Reliance Matrix, within 30 days after the start of your leave to avoid losing benefits. For detailed instructions on how to file your claim with Reliance Matrix, please refer to their Four Convenient Ways to File a Claim flyer.
- In most cases, Reliance Matrix is required to either pay or deny benefits within 18 calendar days of receiving your completed request package or your first day of leave, whichever is later.
Pregnancy & Parental Accommodations
New York State provides specific protections and accommodations for pregnant employees and new parents:
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Lactation Accommodations for Fully Remote Workers in New York
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Policy on the Rights of Employees to Express Breast Milk in the Workplace
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Pregnancy Accommodations at Work - Please contact inremote@lehigh.edu if you plan to take Paid Prenatal Leave or require other pregnancy-related accommodations.
Tax Withholdings
As a fully remote employee in New York, you are required to complete specific tax withholding forms and submit them to the Payroll Office via the Payroll Office FileSender.
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For federal taxes: The W-4 Employee's Withholding Certificate form, filed with the Internal Revenue Service.
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For NYS/NYC/Yonkers taxes: The IT-2104 Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate form, filed with the NY State Department of Taxation and Finance.
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If you are not a resident of NYS/NYC/Yonkers: Please use the form IT-2104.1 New York State, City of New York, and City of Yonkers Certificate of Nonresidence and Allocation of Withholding Tax.
Other Important Information
Important Note: This information is a summary and is subject to change. For complete details and the most current regulations, please refer to the official New York State Department of Labor and Paid Family Leave websites, and consult with Lehigh University's HR and Payroll departments for specific guidance.