Paid family and medical leave by state

How state paid leave programs work

Paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs are state insurance funds. Employers withhold contributions from wages, sometimes add an employer share, and send them to the state. When an eligible employee needs leave to bond with a new child, care for a seriously ill family member or recover from their own serious health condition, the state pays a weekly benefit based on their wages. The employer does not pay the benefit directly, but has duties around registration, contributions, notices and, in many states, job protection.

These programs are different from paid sick leave laws, which require employers to provide short paid absences, and from the federal FMLA, which gives job-protected but unpaid leave.

State-by-state table

Figures are for 2026 where the official program page states them, retrieved November 8, 2026. “See source” means the page we reviewed did not state the figure. Eligibility rules, waiting periods, benefit formulas and job protection details are not shown; follow the link before acting.

New Hampshire offers a voluntary paid family and medical leave insurance plan rather than a mandatory program (NH PFML). Several states, including Hawaii, also run temporary disability insurance for an employee’s own non-work illness, which is a separate program.

What changed recently

• Delaware began accepting claims and paying benefits on January 1, 2026, after contributions started in 2025.
• Maine began paying benefits for leave starting on or after May 1, 2026.
• District of Columbia shortened family and medical leave and lowered the maximum weekly benefit from October 1, 2026.
• Maryland benefits are scheduled to start January 1, 2028.

Employer checklist

1. Find out which programs cover your employees, based on where they work.
2. Register with each state program and set up payroll withholding at the right rate.
3. Decide whether to pay the employee share yourself; some employers do as a benefit.
4. Post the required notices and give employees written information.
5. Coordinate state leave with FMLA, state job-protection laws and your own policies.
6. Keep accurate records of wages and hours worked, since eligibility and benefits depend on them.
7. Review rates every year: most programs update them annually.

Private plans

Several states allow employers to provide the benefit through an approved private plan instead of the state fund, as long as it is at least as generous. This can make sense for larger employers, but it adds administration. Check each program’s rules for private or equivalent plans.

A worked example

A restaurant group has 40 employees in Oregon. For 2026, the Paid Leave Oregon contribution is 1% of wages. Employees pay 60% of it and, because the group has 25 or more employees, the employer pays 40%. For an employee earning $800 a week, that is $4.80 from the employee and $3.20 from the employer each week. If that employee later takes 6 weeks to care for a parent, the state pays the benefit, and the employer’s main job is to coordinate the leave with the schedule. (Fictional example; benefit formulas are set by each program.)

Managing leave on the schedule

Long leaves leave gaps in the schedule. Plan coverage early, track who is on leave and when they return, and keep hours records accurate, because wage data drives eligibility and benefits. EZTime handles time off requests and absences next to the schedule, so managers see upcoming leave while they plan shifts. EZTime does not file claims or remit state contributions; those stay with your payroll provider.

Frequently asked questions

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