States With Paid Family Medical Leave

Companion Bills H. 4574 and S. 332 were introduced this week, establishing a PFML program (with private plan option).

The governor of Virginia recently signed into law the Virginia Organ Donor Leave Law (Senate Bill 1086). Effective July 1, 2023, Virginia will have a new law in place allowing employees to take time off for organ or bone marrow donation. Eligible employees are allowed up to 60 business days of unpaid leave during a 12-month period for organ donation and up to 30 business days of unpaid leave during a 12-month period for bone marrow donation. This law will cover employers with 50 or more employees, and these employees must be employed for at least a 12-month period and 1,250 hours during the previous 12 months. Employees will need to provide written verification from a physician that the employee is a donor, and that there was a medical necessity for the donation.

On May 3, Governor Moore signed legislation (H988/S828) into law making several modifications to Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program, which is currently under development. The most important changes affect the dates on which premium contributions and benefit payments will begin. Prior to passage of this legislation, premium contributions were going to begin on Oct. 1, 2023, but now they will begin on Oct. 1, 2024. Benefit payments were going to begin on January 1, 2025, but now they will begin on January 1, 2026. The total contribution rate is capped at 1.2% of an employee’s wages and will be adjusted annually beginning July 1, 2026. The contributions will be split 50-50 between the employer and the employee. We will continue to follow developments of Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance program.