Rhode Island Paid Leave Programs

In Force as of Jan. 5, 2014
Benefit Overview

Covered Leaves and Durations

Rhode Island offers paid leave through two programs:

  • Temporary Disability insurance for medical leaves
  • Temporary Caregiver insurance for family leaves
Leave TypeCovered LeaveMaximum Leave Duration in a 52-Week Period1
Medical (TDI)
  • Leave taken by a covered individual due to their own serious health condition
30 weeks2
Family (TCI)
  • Care for a family member with a serious health condition
  • Care and bond with a new child during the first year after birth, adoption or placement through foster care

4 weeks in 2021

5 weeks in 2022

6 weeks in 2023

  1. Cannot take more than 30 hours of TDI/TCI combined in a 52-week period. Any amount of time used for TCI will reduce the maximum benefit period of TDI benefits if applicable. The benefit year begins on the Sunday of the week in which the employee's unable-to-work date occurs.

  2. Employees receiving TDI can return to work part time after seven consecutive days of being unable to work, if employers have work available.

Weekly Benefit Amount

Employees’ weekly benefit is 4.62% of the wages they earned in the highest quarter of their base period.

However, they will receive at least $121 per week in 2023, but no more than $1,007 per week. Employees with dependents will receive the greater of $10 or 7 percent of weekly benefit rate (for up to five dependents), up to a maximum of $1,359 per week.

Leave that is shorter than seven days will be paid in increments of 20% of the weekly benefit.

Waiting Period

There is no waiting period. Claims that meet the criteria will be paid benefits as of the first day of unemployment due to the leave.

Intermittent Leaves

Employees can take their leave on an intermittent basis or all at once. However, employees must be out of work for at least seven consecutive days after the original claim ended.

 

All information on this page is subject to change as state requirements change.

 Who's Covered

Covered Employees

Employees are eligible for TDI and TCI benefits if:

  • Employees work in RI
  • They contribute to the programs through payroll deductions
  • One of the following applies:
    • The employee earned at least $13,800 in the base period (previous four quarters) before taking leave
    • The employee earned at least:
      • $2,100 in one of the previous four quarters
      • $4,200 in taxable wages in the base period
      • 1.5 times the employee’s wages in the highest quarter of the base year

Family Members

Covered employees may use TCI to care for a:

  • Child
  • Spouse or domestic partner
  • Parent
  • Parent-in-law
  • Grandparent
 How it Works

Plan Options

Rhode Island offers paid leave through two programs:

  • Temporary Caregiver insurance to care for a family member with a serious health condition or bond with a newborn, adopted or foster child.
  • Temporary Disability insurance for one's own medical condition.

Voluntary insurance plans do not replace TCI or TDI.

Funding

Employee contributions fund both the TCI and TDI programs. Employees are taxed at 1.3% of wages, up to a taxable wage base of $74,000. Contributions are considered deductible income.

Additional Information Employers Need to Know

Employers with one or more employees working in the state of Rhode Island must allow employees to take covered leave.

Employers must offer employees a comparable position, with the equivalent seniority, status, employment benefits, pay and other terms and conditions including fringe benefits, upon returning from TCI leave.

More Information

Visit Rhode Island's Temporary Disability and Caregivers Insurance page to learn more.

You can also visit The Standard’s Relatively Speaking blog to stay updated on the latest PFML news.

 Legislative Activity

No Legislative Activity Found.