Oregon

Understanding paid leave

Oregon provides paid medical leave (PML) and paid family leave (PFL) income replacement benefits for eligible workers who need time off from work for qualifying reasons. This state program is called Paid Leave Oregon.

Paid Leave Oregon: Coverage and cost

Learn about your state rules and eligibility.

Coverage options

State plan: Provides a baseline of benefits that all covered employers must offer.

State-approved private plans: Option to offer an approved private plan that meets or exceeds state benefits.

Employer coverage

All employers are subject to the PFML with some exceptions:

  • Federal government, elected officials, judges and holders of public office.
  • Tribal governments aren’t required to participate but can opt in.
  • Self-employed individuals and most independent contractors are excluded but may opt in.

Employee eligibility

Employees who work in Oregon and have contributed to the PFML Insurance Fund and have earned at least $1,000 in wages during the base or alternate base year.

  • Base year: First 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters.
  • Alternate base: Last 4 completed calendar quarters.

Leave reasons

PML: Employee's own serious health condition.

PFL: Caring for a family member, bonding and birth of a child.

Safe leave: Survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment or stalking.

Job protection

Requires continuation of health insurance benefits and reinstatement to previous or equivalent position if an employee has been with their current employer for more than 90 days.

PFML Benefits

Benefit percentage: Employees receive up to 100% of their average weekly wage on a sliding scale.

Maximum weekly benefit: 120% of the state average weekly wage. $1568.60 as of 7/7/2024.

Waiting period: No waiting period.

Maximum duration: 12 weeks of paid leave per benefit year.

  • 2 additional weeks for pregnancy-related limitations.

Cost

Employee:

  • Pay 0.6% of the gross annual wage up to the maximum taxable wage base.
  • Taxable wage base is $176,100.

Employers:

  • Pay 0.4% of taxable wage base.
  • Employers may pay employee contributions.
  • Employers with fewer than 25 employees nationwide aren't required to pay the employer portion of the premiums.

Program timeline

Contributions began: January 1, 2023

Benefits became available: September 3, 2023

Need more information? Visit the Paid Leave Oregon website for additional details.

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How Colonial Life can help

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