Oregon still ranks first for PFML, but newcomer Minnesota isn’t far behind.
New York became a forerunner in Paid Family Leave when the program was introduced in 2017. Written as a rider to the state’s mandatory DBL benefits, New York PFL delivered generous payouts, which were much higher than the state’s statutory disability leave.
Nearly 10 years later, other states’ leave laws are starting to catch up and have surpassed NY DBL and PFL in the benefits offered, the duration of the benefits, and who qualifies for coverage.
We broke down paid family / medical leave programs in states that allow a private plan through an approved carrier. In all cases, private plans must be equal to or better than the state plan in terms of benefit amounts and duration and cost the same or less as state plan premiums.
| State | Max Weekly Benefit (2026) | Benefit Duration | Premium Rate | Who Pays? | Who Must Participate? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $1,636.56 | 12 weeks (+2 weeks pregnancy) | 1.0% of wages (up to SS cap) | 60% employee / 40% employer | All private employers |
| Minnesota | $1,423 | 12 weeks PFL (up to 20 weeks combined) | 0.88% of wages (up to state cap) | 50% employee / 50% employer | All private employers |
| New York | $1,228.53 | 12 weeks PFL | 0.432% of wages (annual cap applies) | 100% employee | All employers with 1+ employee |
| New Jersey | $1,119 | 12 weeks (or 56 intermittent days) | 0.23% of wages (annual cap applies) | 100% employee | All private employers with 1+ employee |
| Massachusetts | $1,230.39 | 12 weeks PFL (26 weeks combined) | 0.88% total (PFL portion shown) | PFL: 100% employee | All private employers |
| Colorado | $1,381.45 | 12 weeks (+4 weeks pregnancy complications) | 0.9% of wages | 50% employee / 50% employer (10+ employees) | All private employers |
| Connecticut | $1,016.40 | 12 weeks (+2 weeks pregnancy) | Up to 0.5% of wages | 100% employee | All private employers (limited exclusions) |
| Delaware | $900 | 12 weeks | 0.8% of wages | 50% employee / 50% employer | Private employers with 10+ employees |
| Maine | SAWW-based (TBD) | 12 weeks | 1.0% of wages | 50% employee / 50% employer | Private employers (effective 5/1/26) |
These eight states exemplify the best blend of availability to workers, reasonable premium costs, and generous benefits.
Oregon PFML tops the list with its maximum benefit of more than $1,600 per week and a 60/40 split for employee and employer funding. Participating in the Oregon Paid Leave program is required for all private employers, providing brokers with vast opportunities to build relationships with business owners in the state.
Minnesota insurance brokers have unique opportunities to build trust in their state and help business owners privatize PFML for cost savings and better service.
With a decade of experience in paid family leave laws, The DBL Center is your white-glove insurance concierge to help you introduce this new program in Minnesota and bundle ancillary and voluntary worksite benefits for additional cost savings.
Paid Leave Programs vs. Cost-of-Living: Which State Pays the Best Benefits?
It’s equally interesting to explore where PFML benefits can stretch the farthest. We next explored each state’s maximum benefit amount relative to the state’s cost of living in recent years. The data was eye-opening.
Delaware’s modest $900 maximum benefit puts it at the bottom of the list of the best programs. But, relative to the state’s cost of living, it beats out New England neighbors Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Minnesota hit the ground running with the highest maximum weekly benefit in the country, coupled with a relatively low cost of living, to offer the most generous plan in the nation.
Colorado slips into second place, with a smaller benefit than Oregon but also a lower cost of living, which means that money goes further. This list only calculates the maximum benefit and does not address the relative generosity for lower wage workers.
| State | Max Weekly Benefit (2026) | Cost of Living Index (2024) | Relative Generosity (Benefit ÷ COL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $1,423.00 | 94.2 | 1.51 |
| Colorado | $1,381.45 | 114.8 | 1.20 |
| Oregon | $1,636.56 | 145.1 | 1.13 |
| New York | $1,228.53 | 123.3 | 1.00 |
| New Jersey | $1,119.00 | 114.6 | 0.98 |
| Delaware | $900.00 | 103.0 | 0.87 |
| Connecticut | $1,016.40 | 121.6 | 0.84 |
| Massachusetts | $1,230.39 | 145.9 | 0.84 |
Note: The Cost of Living Index is based on data from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) for 2024. A higher index indicates a higher cost of living.
FMLA vs PFL: The Differences in Durations and Benefits
For the most part, when it comes to the duration of leave, most states with paid family and medical leave programs in effect adhered to the standards set by the federal government’s Family Medical and Leave Act.
FMLA guarantees job security, but does not provide pay, during a leave of up to 12 weeks following a childbirth, adoption, or foster situation within the first year of the event or to care for an injured or ill family member. It also offers job protection for an employee who needs to take up to 12 weeks off for their own health condition or medical needs or to take leave and care for a family or home while a military spouse is deployed.
The differences in FMLA vs. PFL are significant, since FMLA is an unpaid program that only provides job protection. But it set the stage, decades later, for NY, New Jersey, and then other states to introduce paid family and medical leave programs to support parents, adult children of aging adults, and anyone who needs time off to care for themselves or a loved one with a medical condition.
Paid Family and Medical Leave Programs Across the U.S.
In states that offer an opportunity to privatize Paid Family and Medical Leave, brokers have a chance to generate an additional revenue stream. But that’s just the beginning.
By guiding your clients through the process of privatizing required benefits, you’ll help them save money and you’ll build trust. Then, you can show them how to roll the cost savings from a private plan into ancillary benefits.
If you’re looking to grow your book of business while delivering exceptional value to your clients, these states represent some of the biggest opportunities in the country right now. Let’s break down where the benefits are strong, the premiums are fair, and the market is wide open for brokers to make a difference by privatizing PFML or similar programs.
The Breakdown for Brokers
What does all this mean to insurance brokers? Each of these states represents an opportunity to deliver a required benefit with better service and potential cost savings compared to the state-run plan.
But you don’t have to do it all alone. Let The DBL Center guide you as your paid family and medical leave expert from coast to coast.
