January 1, 2025

Delaware employers will need to begin withholding employee contributions for the Healthy Delaware Families Act (HDFA) by payroll deduction. Both employee and employer shares must be remitted to the state on a quarterly basis. This insurance program, funded by contributions from both employers and employees, will make benefits available to eligible employees beginning January 1, 2026.

Overview of the HDFA

The HDFA applies to employers with 10 or more employees working in Delaware during the previous 12 months, regardless of the employer’s location. Employers with 10-24 employees are required to provide only parental leave, while those with 25 or more employees must provide parental, family caregiving, and medical leave. Employees eligible for these benefits are those who primarily report to a worksite in Delaware, work at least 60% of their hours in Delaware each calendar quarter, have been employed for at least 12 months, and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the past year.

Eligible employees can receive up to 12 weeks of PFML benefits per application year. The weekly benefit amount is set at 80% of the employee’s average weekly wage during the 12 months preceding the application submission.

Qualifying reasons include:

• Parental leave, to care for a child during the first year after the child’s birth, adoption, or placement for foster care
• Family caregiving leave, to care for a family member with a serious health condition or for a qualifying exigency
• Medical leave, for the employee’s own serious health condition that renders them unable to perform job functions

For more details, visit Delaware Paid Leave.

January 1, 2025

In California, paid family leave (PFL) benefits will increase to 70% of average weekly earnings, or 90% for employees earning under a certain income level, as determined by the Family Temporary Disability Insurance (FTDI) program. Employers can no longer require employees to use vacation or paid time off (PTO) prior to receiving PFL benefits. Additionally, the family leave mediation pilot program, which allowed small employers (5-19 employees) to request mediation for CFRA violations, has an automatic repeal date of January 1, 2025.

Overview of the CFRA

The California Family Rights Act (CFRA) provides unpaid, but protected leave. CFRA requires employers with five or more employees to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. Employees eligible for these benefits are those who have worked for an employer for at least 12 months prior to the leave and have worked 1,250 hours during the 12-month period.

Qualifying reasons include:

• The birth, adoption, or placement for foster care of a child
• The serious health condition of the employee that prevents the employee from working
• To care for the following family members with a serious health condition:
  • A child, regardless of age or dependency status, including the child of a domestic partner
  • A parent, including a parent-in-law
  • A spouse
  • A grandparent
  • A grandchild
  • A sibling
  • A domestic partner
• To care for a designated person with a serious health condition
• For a qualifying exigency related to the covered active duty or call to covered active duty of an employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent in the US Armed Forces

For more information, visit the California CFRA website.

January 1, 2025

Maine employers who employ employees at any location in Maine are required to make quarterly payroll contributions starting January 1, 2025, to fund PFML benefits, which will be available beginning May 1, 2026.

Overview of Maine PFML

Eligible employees are those who have worked for an employer in Maine, have earned at least six times the state’s average weekly wage during the base period, and meet the law’s administrative requirements. Employees can receive up to 12 weeks of PFML benefits in a benefit year.

Qualifying reasons for leave include:

• To bond with a child or placement of a child 16 years or younger for adoption
• To care for the employee’s own serious health condition
• To care for a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, or a designated person with whom the employee has a significant personal bond that is or is like a family relationship
• For a qualifying exigency
• To care for a family member who is a covered servicemember
• A family member’s death that occurs while on active-duty service
• For reasons related to violence, assault, sexual assault, or stalking (i.e., safe leave)
• To donate an organ for human transplant

For more information on Maine PFML, visit the Maine DOL website.

January 1, 2025

New York’s paid sick leave law will include prenatal leave, requiring covered employers to provide paid leave for health care services related to an employee’s pregnancy. This is in addition to the existing sick leave entitlement, allowing employees to use up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave per year.

Overview of the NYSSLL

New York’s sick and safe leave law (NYSSLL) applies to all private sector employers, with varying requirements based on employer size and net income. Eligible employees include part-time, seasonal, and domestic workers with no length of service requirement.

Leave duration ranges from 40 to 56 hours per calendar year, depending on employer size and income. Employers with four or fewer employees and a net income of $1 million or less must provide 40 hours of unpaid leave. Employers with 5-99 employees are required to offer up to 40 hours of paid sick leave to their employees each calendar year. Employers with 100 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick leave each calendar year.

Qualifying reasons for leave include:

• An employee’s or a covered family member’s mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition
• An employee’s or family member’s diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition
• An employee or family member is the victim of domestic violence, a family offense, a sexual offense, stalking, or human trafficking, and the employee needs time off from work

To learn more about NYSSLL, visit the New York State website.

January 1, 2025

Oklahoma employers who provide paid leave for employees to volunteer as poll workers will be eligible for an income tax credit. This law was passed effective November 1, 2024, but the tax credit applies from January 1, 2025. Employers will receive an exemption from taxable income of $100 per day for paid leave during the tax year. If requested by the Oklahoma Tax Commission, employers must provide documentation from the relevant county election board confirming that the employee volunteered.

January 1, 2025

Connecticut’s paid sick leave law will expand its employer coverage starting January 1, 2025. The three adjustments will be:

• January 1, 2025 coverage will apply to employers with 25 or more employees
• January 1, 2026 coverage will apply to employers with 11 or more employees
• January 1, 2027 coverage will apply to employers with one or more employees

The law also broadens the definitions of eligible employees and family members, qualifying reasons for leave, and changes accrual rates and documentation requirements.

Overview of the Connecticut Paid Sick Leave

Non-exempt service workers are eligible for paid sick leave, which accrues at a rate of one hour for every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year.

Qualifying reasons for leave include:

• The employee’s, their spouse’s, or their child’s illness, injury, or health condition
• Medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of the service worker’s, their spouse’s, or their child’s mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition
• Preventative medical care for the service worker, their spouse, or their child
• A mental health wellness day for the employee
• If the employee is a victim of family violence or sexual assault, or the parent or guardian of a child who is a victim of family violence or sexual assault, provided the employee is not the perpetrator or alleged perpetrator of the act, and they need time off for a qualified reason
• The employer’s business location, or a family member’s school or care facility, is closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency
• A determination made by a health authority with jurisdiction, the employee’s or a family member’s employer, or a health care provider that the employee or family member poses a risk to the health of others due to exposure to a communicable illness, regardless of whether they contracted the illness

To learn more about Connecticut Paid Sick Leave, visit the Connecticut Paid Leave website.

January 1, 2025

Washington will amend its paid sick leave law effective January 1, 2025, expanding qualifying reasons for leave and the definition of family members. The additional qualifying reason covers the closure of an employee’s place of business or child’s place of care after a local, state, or federal government agency declares an emergency. The definition of a family member will include an individual who regularly resides in an employee’s home and an individual whose relationship with the employee creates an expectation that the employee cares for the individual and the individual depends on the employee for care. The law applies to all employers in Washington and covers non-exempt employees.

Overview of Washington’s paid sick leave law

All employers who do business in the state of Washington are subject to the paid sick leave law. Non-exempt employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked, with no specified cap within one year.

Eligible reasons for leave include:

• The employee’s or a family member’s mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; need for medical diagnosis, car,e or treatment, or need for preventive medical care
• An absence that qualifies for leave under the state’s Domestic Violence Leave Act (DVLA) due to an incident of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
• Closure of the employee’s place of business or a child’s school or place of care by order of a public official for any health-related reason

To learn more about Washington’s paid sick leave law, visit the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries website.

January 1, 2025

Oregon’s paid leave law, Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) will allow employees to take leave for the legal process required for foster child placement or adoption. The law applies to all employers, though those with fewer than 25 employees are not required to pay employer contributions.

Overview of PLO

Eligible employees must have earned at least $1,000 during the base year and have contributed to the PLO fund. Qualifying reasons for leave include family and medical leave, with up to 12 weeks of benefits per year. Family and medical leave reasons are defined as:

• Family leave
  • To care for and bond with a child during the first year after the child’s birth, adoption, or placement for foster care
  • To care for a family member with a serious health condition
  • Pre-placement leave before adoption or foster care placement
• Medical leave
  • An employee has an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that requires inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility
  • Any period of disability due to pregnancy or period of absence for prenatal care
  • Any period of absence for the donation of a body part, organ, or tissue, including preoperative or diagnostic services, surgery, post-operative treatment, and recovery
• Safe Leave
  • Leave taken for reasons necessitated by domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, stalking, or bias

An additional two weeks may be available for conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or lactation.

To learn more about Oregon PLO, visit their website.

February 21, 2025

Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) will replace the Paid Medical Leave Act (PMLA), following a Michigan Supreme Court ruling. The ESTA imposes stricter requirements on employers and broadens employee protections, requiring all employers with one or more employees to provide paid sick leave.

Overview of PMLA/ESTA

ESTA applies to all employers; previously, PMLA applied to employers with 50 or more employees. Employees accrue sick leave at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, with a maximum of 72 hours per year. Employees of small businesses accrue a maximum of 40 hours per year.

Qualifying reasons for leave include:

• The employee’s or a covered family member’s mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; need for medical diagnosis, care, or treatment; or need for preventative medical care
• The employee or a covered family member is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, and needs to:
  • Obtain medical care or psychological or other counseling for physical or psychological injury or disability
  • Obtain services from a victim services organization
  • Relocate
  • Obtain legal services
  • Participate in any civil or criminal proceedings related to or resulting from the domestic violence or sexual assault
• For closure of the employee’s primary workplace or a child’s school or place of care by order of a public official due to a public health emergency
• When it has been determined by the health authorities having jurisdiction or by a health care provider that the employee’s or a family member’s presence in the community would jeopardize the health of others because of exposure to a communicable disease, whether or not the employee or family member has actually contracted the communicable disease.
• In addition to the existing qualifying reasons under the PMLA, an employee may use sick leave for meetings at a child’s school or place of care related to the child’s health or disability or the effects of domestic violence or sexual assault on the child

To learn more about ESTA, visit the state website.

July 1, 2025

Update: Contributions have been delayed to January 1, 2027, and benefit access has been pushed to January 3, 2028.

Maryland employers, employees, and self-employed individuals must make contributions to the PFML benefits fund. Benefits will be available from July 1, 2026. The program requires all employees and employers with 15 or more employees to contribute to the fund.

Overview of Maryland PFML

Employers with 15 or more employees are required to contribute to the PFML insurance program. Employees who have worked at least 680 hours over the four most recent quarters proceeding the leave can receive up to 12 weeks of benefits per year, with an additional 12 weeks available for specific circumstances.

Qualifying reasons for leave:

• To care for or bond with a child during the first year after the child’s birth, during the process through which a child is placed, or during the first year after placement for foster care, kinship care, or adoption
• To care for a family member with a serious health condition
• To attend to the employee’s own serious health condition that results in the employee being unable to perform the functions of their position
• To care for a service member who is the employee’s next of kin and who has a serious health condition resulting from military service
• To attend to a qualifying exigency arising out of the deployment of a service member who is the employee’s family member.

To learn more about Maryland Family and Medical Leave Insurance, visit the state website.

July 1, 2025

Medium-sized employers (51-100 employees) in Chicago must pay out all unused, accrued paid leave at the employee’s final pay rate upon separation or transfer outside the city’s geographic limits.

Overview of Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave

The Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance applies to all employers with one or more employees and employees who have worked at least 80 hours within 120 days within the city. Employees are entitled to 40 hours of leave per 12-month period, plus up to 40 hours of paid time off for any reason.

Qualifying reasons for leave include:

• The employee or employee’s family member is ill or injured, or receives professional care, which includes preventive care, diagnosis, or treatment for medical, mental, or behavioral issues, including substance use disorders
• The employee or a family member is a victim of domestic violence, a sex offense, or human trafficking
• The employee’s workplace or a family member’s school, class, or place of care is closed by order of a public official due to a public health emergency
• The employee obeys an order issued by the Mayor, the Governor of Illinois, the Chicago Department of Public Health, or a treating health care provider that requires the employee to stay at home, remain at home, or obey a quarantine

To learn more about Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave, visit the city website.

November 1, 2025

Amendments to Minnesota’s PFML law will require employers to post workplace notices and provide written information to employees about available benefits, and comply with antiretaliation provisions. Employees must give at least 30 days’ advance notice for foreseeable leave and notice as soon as possible for unforeseeable leave.

January 1, 2026

Access to leave benefits and requirements regarding employee and employer contributions and pay statements begin.

April 30, 2026

Covered employers must make deposits of premium contributions based on wages earned between January 1, 2026, and March 31, 2026.

Overview of Minnesota’s paid family and medical leave

The law applies to all employers with at least one employee and does not cover self-employed individuals who opt out. Eligible employees are those who perform at least 50% of their work in Minnesota or reside in the state for at least 50% of the calendar year. Employees can receive up to 12 weeks of benefits annually for a serious health condition, and up to 12 weeks for other qualifying reasons for a combined maximum of 20 weeks in a benefit year.

Qualifying reasons for leave include:

• The employee’s or their family member’s serious health condition, including a physical or mental illness, injury, impairment, or condition
• Medical care related to the employee’s pregnancy
• Bonding time spent by an employee with a biological, adopted, or foster child within 12 months of the child’s birth, adoption, or placement
• Safe leave, meaning absences due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking of the employee or the employee’s family member
• To care for a family member who is a military member
• For a qualifying exigency, if a family member who is a military member serves in active duty or receives notice of an impending call or order to active duty in the United States armed forces

To learn more about Minnesota paid leave, visit the state website.

As we look ahead to 2025, the evolving landscape of paid family and medical leave laws underscores a nationwide commitment to supporting workers and their families. These legislative updates reflect an increasing recognition of the importance of providing employees with the necessary time and financial support to handle personal and family health matters. Employers must stay informed and adapt to these changes to ensure compliance, maintain a supportive workplace, and ultimately foster a healthier, more productive workforce. By proactively addressing these updates, employers can better align with legal requirements while promoting a culture of care and well-being within their organizations.