New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald joined “Mornings On 1” Friday to break down a first-in-the-nation policy offering paid leave for prenatal care, set to begin Jan. 1, 2025. 

Under the new law, pregnant workers will be able to take up to 20 hours of paid leave for prenatal appointments without needing to accumulate time off.

“When you're pregnant, you need checkups, right? So you get to see the doctor who's going to [deliver] your baby, right? We're talking about 13 or 14 visits, as usual, for prenatal care, and that's what's covered here, the checkups to monitor you while you're pregnant,” McDonald said. 

“You start with 20 hours January 1st. You don't have to build up to 20 hours. You have 20 hours,” he added. “It applies to everybody. No matter who you work for. It's everybody.”

McDonald said the policy is expected to affect about 130,000 women annually, including approximately 65,000 hourly workers. 

McDonald also stressed the need to improve access to prenatal care, saying that “only about three out of four folks who are having a baby are getting prenatal care.” 

The policy extends to fertility treatment and end of pregnancy care, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a release. Employees also will not need to discuss their pregnancy status with their employers, McDonald said. 

“When you're going to access this benefit, you don't have to prove to your employer that you're pregnant. It's really none of your employer's business,” he said.