Understand how statutory disability and paid family and medical programs have evolved in the US.
There’s well-documented research showing that employers, workers, and their families benefit from paid family and medical leave. A 2024 study commissioned by the Department of Labor and presented by the Women’s Bureau found that a national paid family and medical leave program would reduce poverty and shrink the poverty gap amongst workers.
“We know paid leave supports women’s labor force participation and increases the gross domestic product. Investing in families works for everyone,” said Gayle Goldin, then-deputy director of the Women’s Bureau, in a DOL press release.
Other research from Stanford University showed that paid family leave is beneficial for family health and well-being outcomes, with no detriment – and some potential advantages — to employers that implement these policies.
Since 1993, when the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was introduced to provide unpaid, job-protected time off to workers caring for family members, the federal government hasn’t made any progress in providing any sort of paid family and medical leave. Instead, it’s left in the hands of the states.
The Rapid Rise of Paid Family and Medical Leave Programs Since 2021
From California to Maine, 15 states have introduced, or plan to introduce, PFL or PFML programs through 2026. (Note: Per the state’s Department of Labor website, Maryland has changed the date to implement FAMLI to January 3, 2028, with contributions for the State Plan to begin January 1, 2027.) Of these, nearly a dozen have options to privatize policies through approved carriers for better service and potentially lower premium rates.
Our exclusive PFML timeline shows the rapid evolution of PFML and similar programs across the US. After several decades, New York broke ground in joining New Jersey and California to introduce paid family leave.
At the time, it was the most robust in the country. By the time it was fully phased in, it offered partial wage replacement of 67%, up to a generous cap that has, for the most part, increased annually.
In 2019, New Jersey expanded its paid leave program (Family Leave Insurance) which was introduced in 2008, to keep pace with New York. FLI provides up to 12 consecutive weeks of paid leave at 85% of an employee’s average weekly wage. FLI works with New Jersey TDB, a program that has been in place since 1946, to provide paid time off for workers to recover from or treat their own off-the-job illness or injury or to care for or bond with a newborn, newly adopted, or foster child in the first year, or to care for a relative with a medical condition or disability.
The History of Private Disability Benefits
For decades, New Jersey and New York were the only states to allow disability coverage for workers through private insurance carriers. Many brokers reading this may not know that The DBL Center was founded in 1976 to offer private coverage options for statutory benefits in New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii.
When New York introduced PFL in 2018, The DBL Center was on the cutting edge of the news, guiding New York tri-state area insurance brokers through the intricacies of this new benefit.
As private options for Paid Family and Medical Leave programs began to spread across New England beginning in 2021, and then out west to Oregon and Colorado, The DBL Center remains uniquely equipped to help brokers. See the timeline above or visit our Paid Family Leave resource center for a comprehensive list of states that currently permit private options for paid family and medical leave.
The Guidance You Need to Sell Required Employee Benefits
The DBL Center has nearly half a century of experience in the required benefits space. We remain family-operated and committed to giving our brokers the white glove service they have come to expect.
We have also adapted over time to incorporate technology, like our Broker Dashboard: Net Revenue Tracker. Our proprietary platform, available on the Web or through Android and iOS apps, makes it easy for brokers to track commissions, renewals, and cancellations from any internet-connected device.
“Our Net Revenue Tracker is a throwback to my father’s pencil and ledger,” said DBL Center President, CEO and Growth Leader, Michael Cohen. “One of David Cohen’s favorite expressions was, ‘It’s not what you earn, it’s what you keep.’ The ability to track cancellations in real-time, along with our carrier relationships that allow us to secure the lowest premium rates and highest commissions, gives our brokers a huge advantage.”
Couple today’s technology with decades of experience, carrier relationships, and extensive knowledge of PFML benefits, and The DBL Center delivers a winning combination to brokers seeking a wholesale general agency. We help streamline processes so you can focus on sales.
