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Oregon Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFMLI)

Paid Leave Oregon: PFMLI Resource Center

On September 3, 2023 the Paid Leave Oregon program is set to begin. Paid Leave Oregon, or Oregon PFML, is a paid family and medical leave insurance program in the state of Oregon, which provides eligible employees with partial wage replacement when they take leave for certain qualifying events, such as the birth or adoption of a child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, the employee's own serious health condition, or for safe leave when an employee needs to take leave due to being a victim of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking.

The program is funded through employer and employee contributions which began on January 1, 2023. The state program rate is set at 1.0% of wages up to $132,800 for 2023. The contribution rate is shared between employers (0.4%) and employees (0.6%). Employers having less than 25 employees in total, regardless of work state, are not required to contribute the employer portion but are required to deduct and remit the employee contributions. Employers can choose to remit the entire cost of the program. However, employees cannot contribute more than 0.6% of their covered earnings. In general, eligible employees in Oregon are eligible for up to combined maximum of 12 weeks of paid leave per benefit year with an additional 2 weeks available for pregnancy complications. The weekly benefit amount is determined by the employee's average weekly wage. The minimum and maximum benefits are set each year based off of the state’s average weekly wage (SAWW). Minimum benefits are 5% of the SAWW and the benefit maximum is 120% of the SAWW. For 2023 the maximum benefit is $1,469.78.

We will help you tap into this new market with all the information you need regarding Paid Leave Oregon.

PFMLI, or Paid Leave Oregon, covers up to 12 weeks of benefits per year:

  • To bond with a child within the first year following birth, adoption, or foster care
  • To care for a family member with a serious medical condition
  • To care for yourself during a serious illness or injury
  • Following sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment or stalking

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 Paid Family Leave during the coronavirus pandemic. Below are several downloadable resources for your reference and suitable to share with customers.

What Employers Should Know About Paid Leave in Oregon

PFMLI will require payroll deductions for funding. It is a cost-shared benefit, with employees contributing 60% and employers contributing 40% of no more than 1% of an employee’s covered wages. However, employers may choose to cover the full amount as part of employee benefits. In today’s competitive labor environment, employers may choose this route to help attract and retain workers. The Oregon Employment Department will set the contribution rates, which may change annually. For 2023, contributions must equal 1% of an employee’s wages up to a cap of $132,900.

Benifits Employee Earnings
≤ %65 of SAWW 110% of covered individual's average weekly wage
> %65 of SAWW 65% of SAWW + 50% of the individuals average weekly wage over 65% of SAWW

Employers have choices when it comes to PFMLI: They can participate in the state program, which is administered, managed, and funded through the Oregon State Fund or they can obtain a private policy through an approved carrier. Equivalent plans must provide benefits equal to, or better than, the state plan, at rates equal to, or lower than, the state plan. The state will begin reviewing equivalent private plans in September 2022, which means that brokers can begin providing quotes to Oregon business owners for review at any time. Companies can privatize their coverage on the first day of the calendar quarter following the state’s approval of the plan. Employers must re-submit their plans for annually for three years after their initial approval or if the terms of their plan change.

Frequently asked questions

PFMLI covers any employee who has earned $1,000 or more in the year prior to filing the claim. Federal government employees are not covered, but may have other federal programs in place.

Self-employed individuals and tribal governments may opt in. Organizations and companies who work with independent contractors need not contribute to self-employed plans. Private plans and their premiums are the responsibility of the contractor as a self-employed individual.

PFMLI coverage includes spouses or domestic partners of covered individuals, parents, children, grandparents and their domestic partners, siblings and stepsiblings, plus any blood relative or relative “by affinity.” This includes anyone whose close association with a covered individual is the equivalent of a family relationship.

Oregon’s Paid Leave program pays different amounts depending on a worker’s average weekly wage compared to the state average weekly wage, which is recalculated annually. For 2023, the State Average Weekly Wage is $1,224.82.

Workers earning 65% or less than the SAWW will receive 100% of their average weekly wage. The benefit provides full salary replacement.

Those making more than 65% of the SAWW can claim 65% of SAWW, plus 50% of their own AWW over 65% of SAAW, up to 120% of SAWW. No employee should receive less than 5% of the SAWW.

Self-employed individuals and tribal governments may opt in. Organizations and companies who work with independent contractors need not contribute to self-employed plans. Private plans and their premiums are the responsibility of the contractor as a self-employed individual.

The State of Oregon is permitting companies to privatize PFMLI from the start for tremendous cost savings and more personalized service. Claims may be processed in four days or less.

No pre-payments are necessary aside from a $25 per employee deposit, which will be credited to the first premium payment when you work with DBL Center.

The DBL Center can write PFMLI as a stand-alone benefit. There is no need to bundle ancillary benefits or voluntary worksite benefits with an Oregon Family Leave plan, although clients might save even more money by doing so.

The DBL Center can help brokers quote a private plan quickly, with just an accurate employee census that includes gender, birth date and salary for every employee.

The DBL Center has extensive experience rolling out PFL policies in New York since the program’s inception in 2018. Since then, we have been on the cutting edge of paid family and medical leave programs across New England, as well as in Colorado.

When you write Oregon Paid Leave through The DBL Center, your insurance wholesaler, you’ll also gain access to our state-of-the-art Broker Dashboard: Net Revenue Tracker, 24/7 customer service, and industry leading benefits experts for statutory benefits, ancillary benefits, and voluntary worksite benefits.

PFMLI must be considered separately from vacation, most paid sick leave, and other paid time off. However, employers may allow other paid leave claims, such as voluntary worksite benefits that offer salary replacement or partial salary replacement. Such claims, in conjunction with PFMLI, may not equal more than 100% of an employee’s normal wages.

PFMLI claims cannot be filed while an employee is collecting worker’s compensation for an on-the-job injury or illness or unemployment benefits. PFMLI is designed for off-the-job injuries and illnesses, as well as to care for loved ones of the insured under specific circumstances, which are detailed above.

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