COVID Updates
COVID-19 Coronavirus Pandemic Resources
The DBL Center team is also working diligently to provide our customers with up-to-date information regarding New York PFL during the coronavirus pandemic. Below are several downloadable resources for your reference and suitable to share with customers.
| Wage Weekly | Benefit | Maximum Annual Benefit | Percent of Weekly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500.00 | $450.00 | $5,400.00 | 90% |
| $1000.00 | $768.00 | $9,216.00 | 77% |
| $1500.00 | $1.018.00 | $12,216.00 | 68% |
| $2000.00 | $1,100.00 | $13,200.00 | 55% |
| $3000.00 | $1,100.00 | $13,200.00 | 37% |
Frequently Asked Questions
First, you’ll want to understand the specifics of the program, who is eligible for it, and how much the benefits pay.
According to the state Department of Labor and Employment website, organizations with their own program that is better than what the state mandates may apply for an exemption. Every company and organization in the state must provide paid leave. Premiums will equal 0.9% of an employee’s wage.
Small businesses with fewer than 10 employees do not have to contribute to the program. They must remit the employee’s share of 0.45% quarterly, with those funds coming from payroll deductions.
Employers with more than 10 workers must cover one-half (0.45%) of the premium, while employees cover the balance through payroll deductions. Employers will need to begin submitting premiums to the CDLE by January 1, 2023.
Colorado’s family leave benefits mirror those in other states, permitting employees to take time off to care for a new child within the first year of birth, fostering or adoption or to care for a family member with a serious health condition.
Colorado FAMLI also provides paid leave for an employee unable to work due to illness or injury incurred off the job. Paid leave also extends to employees who need time off to make arrangements for a family member’s military deployment or to address immediate safety needs and life changes following domestic violence or sexual assault.
Colorado FAMLI pays as much as 90% of an employee’s weekly wage, based on income. You can see from the chart below that employees earning an average of $500 per week will receive 90% of that wage, up to a maximum annual benefit of $5,400.
The percentage of weekly wage received drops as salaries increase. Individuals earning $3,000 per week or more will take home a weekly benefit of $1,100 with Colorado FAMLI, or 37% of their weekly wage, up to a maximum benefit of $13,200 annually.
It’s important not to confuse FAMLI with the state’s 'Family Care Act. Colorado's Family Care Act provides job protection and unpaid leave for up to 12 weeks of leave to care for a relative.
Under the FCA, the state defines a family member as a parent, child, or spouse, as well as a domestic partner or civil union partner. It is likely that FAMLI guidelines will follow the same definitions, although the definition of a family member could be expanded to include any blood relative, or anyone whose close association to the employee is the equivalent of a relative.
For brokers who are already offering private DBL in New York, TDB coverage in New Jersey, or FMLA in New England states, FAMLIprovides an opportunity to enter a new market by sharing your expertise and leveraging your relationship with The DBL Center to provide the best coverage, top-quality service, and cost-savings on premiums by bundling statutory benefits with ancillary benefits.
As your back office staff, The DBL Center has the relationships with top carriers to provide concierge-level service to your clients. Our DBL Center brokers also have access to our proprietary Broker Dashboard: Net Revenue Tracker to track renewals, cancellations, and commissions easily.
Once you get your foot in the door to guide business owners through the process of implementing these statutory benefits, you can introduce them to ancillary benefits.
By bundling FAMLI benefits, if possible, with ancillary benefits such as vision, dental, long-term disability (LTD), group life / AD&D and accident coverage, you can increase your commissions while increasing your value to your customers.
You’ll save business owners money at a time when everything seems to be increasing in price and business owners face more challenges than ever.
Business owners and CFOs see tremendous cost-saving advantages by privatizing benefits, as well as personalized, friendly service and flexible payouts.
Additionally, private plans such as New York State DBL or New Jersey TDB offer faster, more flexible payouts and better customer service. By working with a licensed broker, Colorado business owners and their HR staff will have a knowledgeable team working to help them through the claims process. They can also help them secure the lowest rates, often by bundling FAMLI with other ancillary group benefits. Offering robust benefits packages that include dental, vision, accident coverage, group worksite benefits, long-term disability and group life / AD&D can help business owners recruit and retain top employees in a highly competitive environment.
Since business owners must begin collecting premiums for coverage this year, it’s important for brokers to start learning more about the state's business landscape and how they can help business owners implement this important program.
You can rely on The DBL Center as your back-office staff to write private benefits packages through our choice carriers.