Be in the Know: New Rules on Leave

Leave reasons

Caring for a family member, bonding, medical, qualifying exigency, and safe leave.

Job protection

Requires continuation of health insurance benefits, and (if employed at least 180 days before taking leave) reinstatement to previous or equivalent position.

Other protections and provisions

Employee can choose to supplement with earned paid time off.

Intermittent must be permitted in no greater than 1-hour increments, payable once 8 hours accumulated.

Benefits

Employees receive up to 90% of their average weekly wage on a sliding scale. The maximum weekly benefit is 90% of the state average weekly wage. 

Maximum of 12 weeks. Additional 4 weeks for pregnancy or childbirth complications. No waiting period.

Covered employers

Any employer with one or more employees during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or immediately preceding calendar year; or paid wages of $1,500 or more during any calendar quarter in the preceding calendar year.

Excludes federal government. Local government can opt out. Self- employed and local government employees can opt in to the program.

Coverage options

State plan or state-approved private plan.

Cost

0.9% of employee wages up to the annual Social Security maximum wage. The employer and employee contribution amounts for combined PML/PFL is 0.45% of taxable wage base each for a combined 0.9%.

Employers with fewer than 10 employees nationwide are exempt from paying the employer portion of the premium.

Employee eligibility

Employees who have earned $2,500 in wages that were subject to the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) premiums.