Overview
Paid Family Leave coverage will typically be added as a rider on an employer’s existing disability insurance policy. For a list of insurers offering Paid Family Leave policies, visit the PFL section of the Department of Financial Services website.
Paid Family Leave does not replace disability benefits coverage. Some employees may be eligible for both Paid Family Leave and disability benefits, although they may not be taken simultaneously.
Paying for Paid Family Leave
Employees pay for these benefits through a small payroll deduction, which is a percentage of their wages up to a cap set annually. Employers may choose to cover the cost themselves.
The employee contribution rate is set every year to match the cost of insurance coverage and you use the employee contributions to pay the insurance premium. For the current contribution rate, refer to Cost and Deductions.
Employers should contact their current disability benefits insurance carrier to learn more about Paid Family Leave coverage, including when they should begin collecting payroll contributions for Paid Family Leave.
Coverage restrictions for disability benefits for employees of non-profit or religious institutions also apply to Paid Family Leave.
Providing More Generous Benefits
All covered employers are required to provide the statutory level of Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefits through an insurance policy from a carrier or a self-insurance policy. However, employers who want to provide more generous, or enhanced, benefits (e.g., extended leave or more pay) may do so.
Employers with insurance policies through an insurance carrier
If you would like to add enhanced benefits to your PFL benefits policy:
- Discuss your options with your insurance carrier.
- The carrier will file all required notifications of enhanced benefits with the Workers’ Compensation Board.
- The Board will review the policy to ensure the benefit is “at least as favorable” to statutory benefits and notify the carrier of its determination.
Self-insured employers
If you would like to add enhanced benefits to your self-insured PFL benefit:
- Contact your plan administrator or, if you do not have one, the Workers’ Compensation Board at (518) 402-0247 to obtain the required documents.
- You or your plan administrator should email the completed documents to the Board at [email protected].
- The Board will review the benefit to ensure it is “at least as favorable” to statutory benefits and notify you of its determination.
Employers offering benefits outside Paid Family Leave
If you are an employer who is interested in providing an enhanced benefit outside the parameters of Paid Family Leave:
- You may do so without any notification to the Workers’ Compensation Board.
- However, you are still required to maintain coverage for statutory Paid Family Leave benefits and provide proof of coverage to the Board either through your insurance carrier or directly if you are self-insured.
Contact PFL Helpline
For more information, call the Paid Family Leave toll-free helpline Monday-Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm EST.