234 5th Ave #501, New York, NY 100016
Employee Benefits Broker in Hudson Yards
Strategic benefits guidance for Hudson Yards employers navigating one of the most complex regulatory environments in the country.
Hudson Yards has redefined what a New York commercial district looks like. From global headquarters anchored near the Vessel to financial firms occupying floors above the High Line's western terminus, the employers here compete for sophisticated talent in one of the most demanding labor markets on the planet. Securing the right employee benefits broker to serve Hudson Yards means finding a partner who grasps New York State's layered regulatory demands alongside the specific pressures of retaining workers in a district where rival firms sit across the same elevator bank. Combs & Company, operating from its office at 234 5th Ave, Suite 501, has advised businesses with 1 to 500 employees since 2005 on benefits strategies built around New York's compliance requirements and competitive workforce realities. With a 95% annual client retention rate and a team of PPACA Certified Advisors, the firm brings a long-term advisory relationship to Hudson Yards employers, not a one-time transaction. Whether you run a financial services group near 30 Hudson Yards, a luxury retail operation along The Shops, or a technology company embedded in the district's newer office towers, Combs & Company delivers benefits solutions built for the realities of doing business in New York.
Hudson Yards Benefits Compliance in 2026
Hudson Yards employers operate within a compliance structure that runs on two tracks simultaneously: state-level mandates flowing out of Albany and city-specific requirements enforced by agencies such as the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. Both tracks carry real consequences. Falling behind on either can mean civil penalties, failed audits, or a workforce that begins quietly weighing offers from competitors down the block. For businesses in Hudson Yards, where Class A office tenants and hospitality operators share the same mixed-use corridors near the 7 train extension, staying current is not optional.
Paid Family Leave adjustments
New York's Paid Family Leave program updated its rates for 2026. The maximum weekly benefit is now $1,228.53, an increase of $51.21 from 2025 levels. Employee contributions have risen to 0.432% of gross wages per pay period, with a maximum annual contribution capped at $411.91. Hudson Yards employers managing payroll across finance, retail, hospitality, and professional services need to confirm their systems reflect these updated figures and that employees understand how PFL coordinates with New York's statutory disability insurance program.
Paid Prenatal Leave
New York became the first state in the country to require paid prenatal leave, a mandate that took effect January 1, 2025. Every private-sector employer in the state, regardless of headcount, must provide 20 hours of paid prenatal leave per 52-week period. This leave is entirely separate from existing sick leave entitlements and adds to them rather than replacing any portion. For Hudson Yards employers, the NYC-specific layer introduces further obligations under amended ESSTA rules, including maintaining a written prenatal leave policy, reflecting prenatal leave balances on employee pay stubs, and displaying an updated Notice of Employee Rights in the workplace.
Expanded Earned Safe and Sick Time
Amendments to the NYC Earned Safe and Sick Time Act took effect February 22, 2026. Hudson Yards employers must now make at least 32 hours of unpaid safe and sick time available to employees immediately upon hire, with no accrual waiting period. The qualifying reasons for leave have been broadened to include public disasters, closures of schools or childcare facilities, workplace violence, and care for minor children or other care recipients. These amendments also absorbed the city's Temporary Schedule Change Act, consolidating that coverage directly under ESSTA and eliminating a previously separate compliance obligation.
Minimum wage and salary thresholds
Effective January 1, 2026, the minimum wage across New York City, including Hudson Yards, reached $17.00 per hour. The minimum salary threshold for executive and administrative overtime exemptions moved to $1,275.00 per week, which annualizes to $66,300. For Hudson Yards employers operating retail concessions, hospitality venues, and support services within the district's dense vertical environment, these thresholds carry direct implications for how roles are classified and how benefits eligibility is structured across different workforce tiers.
Secure Choice Savings Program
New York's state-mandated retirement savings program is now active. Private employers with 10 or more employees who have operated for at least two years, and who do not already offer a qualified retirement plan, must register or certify an exemption. Deadlines are staggered by company size: employers with 30 or more employees faced a March 18, 2026 cutoff; those with 15 to 29 employees must act by May 15, 2026; and those with 10 to 14 employees have until July 15, 2026. Hudson Yards businesses that are growing rapidly, as many in this district are, may find themselves crossing these headcount thresholds faster than expected. Employees are auto-enrolled at a 3% contribution rate into a state-administered Roth IRA unless they actively choose to opt out.
Ban on consumer credit history in employment decisions
Starting April 18, 2026, New York State employers may not request or use consumer credit history in hiring, compensation, or other employment decisions, with narrow exceptions. The statewide ban extends a city-level restriction that has been in place since 2015 under NYC's Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act. For Hudson Yards employers across financial services, professional services, and retail, understanding exactly where the statutory exceptions apply and how to document those decisions correctly is essential.
Tracking each of these requirements, including how they intersect with one another, is a central part of what an employee benefits broker serving Hudson Yards businesses must do. A prenatal leave policy without proper posting, a missed Secure Choice registration deadline, or a sick time balance that never appears on pay stubs can each trigger enforcement exposure. For employers focused on operating in one of New York City's most high-profile commercial districts, that compliance burden is best handled with an advisory partner who treats it as a standing responsibility rather than a reactive task.
Your protection starts with a conversation. Our experts are ready to help you find the right coverage that fits your life and goals. Book an Appointment Today!
Benefits Services for Hudson Yards Employers
Combs & Company approaches employee benefits for Hudson Yards employers with the understanding that the businesses here are anything but uniform. A private equity firm on an upper floor of 30 Hudson Yards operates under entirely different pressures than a hospitality group running a restaurant at The Shops or a technology startup leasing space in the district's newer towers. That range demands a flexible advisory approach, not a standardized package. Medical, dental, and vision benefits are the foundation of most employer plans, and navigating New York's carrier market, where premiums run consistently above national averages, requires active negotiation and familiarity with the provider networks that Hudson Yards employees and their families actually use. Disability coverage is structured on top of New York's statutory program, which frequently leaves gaps for higher-earning professionals concentrated in this district. Group life insurance, voluntary benefits, and executive benefits are built into packages designed to hold onto workers in a district where competitive offers are perpetually within reach. Compliance consulting across ACA reporting, ERISA documentation, and audit support is part of the advisory relationship from day one. For Hudson Yards employers managing prenatal leave policies, Secure Choice deadlines, and ESSTA amendments in parallel, that integrated support is what makes the difference between staying current and falling behind.
Medical, dental, and vision coverage anchor most benefits packages for Hudson Yards employers, and structuring those packages in New York means negotiating a carrier market where costs consistently exceed national norms. Combs & Company works across multiple carriers to find plans that balance premium levels with the coverage quality that employees in a district full of high-expectation talent demand, taking into account the hospital systems and specialty networks most relevant to workers in this part of Manhattan.
New York's statutory disability program establishes a base level of wage replacement that often falls short for Hudson Yards professionals in finance, law, technology, and executive leadership. Short-term and long-term disability coverage addresses those gaps and brings the full benefit picture into alignment with what employees at this level expect. Group life insurance, voluntary benefits, and executive benefits complete packages built for a district where employees are routinely fielding outside interest and where retention depends on the full value of what an employer presents at the table.
Compliance consulting covering ACA reporting, ERISA plan documentation, and audit readiness is built into how Combs & Company works with every client rather than offered as a billable add-on. For Hudson Yards employers managing simultaneous obligations around paid prenatal leave, Secure Choice registration, and the 2026 ESSTA amendments, having that depth of expertise integrated into the advisory relationship rather than triggered by a crisis is a concrete advantage at both renewal and audit time.
What Sets Combs & Company Apart in the Hudson Yards Market
What distinguishes Combs & Company is structural, not promotional. Every advisor on the team brought professional experience in at least two industries outside of insurance before joining the firm. That background allows the team to recognize risk exposures that advisors with narrower experience tend to overlook, which matters considerably in Hudson Yards where a single employer may operate across finance, retail, hospitality, and events management under one corporate umbrella. The firm holds a 95% annual client retention rate across a client base concentrated in New York City's most active industries, and that retention reflects advisory work that holds up through renewals, regulatory changes, and workforce shifts. The Combs team includes PPACA Certified Advisors with deep expertise in ACA, ERISA, and the state and city-level mandates that make New York's employee benefits environment one of the most technically demanding in the country. The firm works with companies ranging from 1 to 500 employees, the range where benefits strategy has the greatest impact on hiring and retention but where in-house expertise is rarely available. Susan L. Combs founded the firm in 2005, and its growth since then has come primarily through referrals and sustained client relationships rather than volume-driven prospecting.
A 95% annual client retention rate across industries concentrated in the New York City metro reflects a practice built on consistent advisory work that holds its value year after year, not introductory energy that fades after the first enrollment. Hudson Yards clients in financial services, hospitality, retail, and professional services each bring distinct compliance exposures and workforce profiles. The Combs team has worked through those variations across enough engagements that the nuances of New York's regulatory environment are not a learning exercise but a starting point.
Combs & Company's PPACA Certified Advisors bring focused expertise in ACA, ERISA, and the complete range of state and city-level mandates governing employee benefits for New York employers, including those whose workforces are based in Hudson Yards. The firm's client range of 1 to 500 employees covers precisely the businesses where benefits decisions carry the most weight for talent acquisition and financial performance, and where dedicated in-house benefits expertise is not a realistic option.
Susan L. Combs founded the firm in 2005 with a model centered on long-term advisory relationships rather than transactional volume. Hudson Yards clients who work with Combs & Company are not handed off to a service team after enrollment. Growth at the firm comes from referrals and multi-year engagements, which reflects how the advisory relationship is structured from the first conversation forward.
Who This Serves in Hudson Yards
The companies that benefit most from working with an employee benefits broker in Hudson Yards
are typically growing firms in the
10–500 employee range
— large enough to face real compliance obligations under programs like Secure Choice and ACA employer mandates, but without the internal HR infrastructure to manage those obligations alone. This includes founders and COOs at Hudson Yards-based tech and media companies scaling past their first wave of hires, CFOs at professional services firms managing benefits costs against the city's wage pressures, and HR directors at nonprofits and cultural organizations competing for talent without Fortune 500 budgets.
Start a Conversation with Combs & Company
If your Hudson Yards business is building an employee benefits program for the first time, reassessing whether your current plan is still the right fit at renewal, or trying to resolve a compliance question before a regulatory deadline arrives, Combs & Company offers a no-obligation discovery call to assess where things stand. The advisory team will review your existing benefits structure, identify any compliance gaps specific to New York, and walk you through what a tailored engagement would look like. Schedule a discovery call to get started.
Contact Us for a
Discovery Meeting
Medical Benefits - Website Form
Ready to Protect What Matters Most?
Whether it’s your business, family, or future, we’ll guide you toward smarter coverage decisions. Peace of mind is just a click away.
OR CALL US NOW AT:
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
REVIEWS
Reviews from Our Customers
Employee Benefits
Comprehensive Employee Benefits for Your Team
Benefit solutions can be as diverse as your workforce. Combs & Company takes a holistic approach to build solutions that meet employee needs, your company's budget, all while meeting federal and state requirements. Offering innovative solutions from trusted providers can help your business attract and retain top talent. From one employee to 1,000, our team supports you to ensure benefits don't become a burden and fall short of expectations.
Medical Benefits
Comprehensive medical coverage from top-rated carriers, with plan designs that account for NYC's provider networks and premium environment.
Dental Benefits
Preventive, restorative, and orthodontic coverage options that meet employee expectations in a competitive hiring market.
Vision Benefits
Vision plans that include routine exams, eyewear allowances, and corrective care for focused productivity.
Short-Term Disability insurance
Income protection that supplements New York's statutory disability program during temporary illness or injury.
Long-Term Disability insurance
Extended income protection for employees facing prolonged health challenges beyond statutory coverage.
Group Life Insurance
Financial protection for employees and their families, structured as a core component of the benefits package.
Group Long-Term Care Insurance
Coverage for extended medical or personal assistance expenses, addressing a growing concern for NYC's aging workforce.
Voluntary Benefits
Accident, critical illness, and supplemental coverage that gives employees flexibility to customize their protection.
Executive Benefits
Customized benefit plans designed to attract, retain, and protect leadership talent in NYC's competitive executive market.
International Travel Insurance
Coverage for employees on global assignments or business travel, addressing medical emergencies and unforeseen risks abroad.
Employee benefits aren’t just perks — they’re a promise. A promise to value, protect, and invest in the people who drive your company’s success every day.
Combs & Company
Empowering Businesses Through Smarter Employee Benefits
Your employees are the foundation of your company’s success. Combs & Company believes investing in their well-being leads to higher retention, better productivity, and stronger company culture. Our customized employee benefits solutions are designed to fit your organization’s goals, budget, and workforce. From startup to mature entity, we’ll help you create a benefits package that attracts and retains top talent — while protecting your bottom line.
Your Questions, Answered
Frequently Asked Questions
How do NYC's prenatal leave and ESSTA requirements affect my company's benefits administration?
If you employ anyone in New York City, your benefits administration now includes multiple leave entitlements that must be tracked separately: 20 hours of paid prenatal leave under state law, 40 or 56 hours of paid safe and sick time under ESSTA (depending on employer size), and as of February 2026, an additional 32 hours of unpaid safe and sick time available immediately upon hire. Each entitlement has distinct policy, notice, and recordkeeping requirements — and NYC's rules layer additional obligations on top of the state mandates. An employee benefits broker in NYC should be helping you maintain compliant written policies, update notices, and ensure your payroll system tracks each leave bank independently.
Does my NYC business need to register for the Secure Choice Savings Program?
If your company has been operating for at least two years, employs 10 or more people in New York, and does not currently offer a qualified retirement plan such as a 401(k) or SIMPLE IRA, you are required to register with the New York Secure Choice Savings Program or certify your exemption. Deadlines in 2026 are staggered by employer size, with the final group — employers with 10–14 employees — facing a July 15, 2026 deadline. Your employee benefits broker in NYC can help you evaluate whether registering for the state program or adopting a private retirement plan is the better strategic move for your company's benefits package and talent competitiveness.
What makes employee benefits more complex for NYC employers than employers in other markets?
New York City employers operate under a dual regulatory framework — state mandates from Albany and city-specific rules enforced locally — that creates compliance obligations most other U.S. markets simply don't have. The city's Earned Safe and Sick Time Act, prenatal leave policy and posting requirements, and the Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act all impose requirements beyond what state law mandates. Combined with New York's high premium environment, a minimum wage of $17.00 per hour affecting benefits eligibility classifications, and the competitive pressure of recruiting in a market with over 200,000 tech sector jobs alone, NYC employers need an employee benefits broker with specific experience in this market — not a national firm applying a generic playbook.
Contact Information
Call Our Team:
Email Address:
Our Location:
234 5th Ave #501, New York, NY 10001
services we provide
Explore Our Full Range of Services
Employee Benefits
Empower your workforce with tailored benefits that attract talent, enhance satisfaction, and improve retention — all while keeping your business compliant, competitive, and financially protected.
Commercial Insurance
Safeguard your business with customized commercial risk solutions that protect your assets, employees, and reputation against unforeseen events and evolving industry challenges.
Personal Insurance
Protect what matters most with personal insurance plans designed for your lifestyle — covering your home, health, car, and future with confidence and peace of mind.
Specialty Insurance
We specialize in unique and hard-to-place insurance needs, offering creative solutions for businesses and individuals that don’t fit standard coverage categories.
Consulting Services
Our experts offer strategic guidance, risk analysis, and compliance support to help you make informed insurance decisions aligned with your goals.
Our Edge
Why Choose Combs & Company?
Combs & Company blends decades of experience, with continued industry innovations, and a personal touch to simplify the insurance process. Our expert teams tailor coverages to meet your business needs, ensuring you’re confident in any solution.
Certified Industry Experts
Our team includes PPACA Certified Advisors and licensed professionals with expertise in ACA, ERISA, and complex coverage solutions, providing trusted guidance.
Comprehensive Coverage Options
From personal and business insurance to specialty lines and consulting, we offer full-service solutions that grow with you and evolve to meet your changing needs.
Long-Term Relationships
At Combs & Company, clients aren’t just clients—they’re partners. We’re committed to building trust, loyalty, and long-term relationships that keep you secure for years to come.
Real Stories, Real Feedback
Our Client Reviews
If you're a food entrepreneur or in the restaurant biz, I highly recommend working with Susan and her team. Offers great customer service and she really knows her stuff! I had Susan come lecture at my food law class at New York University a few years ago and the students loved her! I refer clients to her without hesitation
Cari B.
