2025 paid family and medical leave law updates

The new year introduces changes to the state and municipal paid family and medical leave law landscape. Several U.S. states are implementing significant updates to their paid family and medical leave (PFML) laws. For employers, especially those in highly regulated states and those juggling the compliance requirements for a multi-state workforce, staying informed about these changes is essential. Below is a detailed overview of key PFML updates for 2025 and their implications for businesses.

California increases paid leave benefits

Effective January 1, 2025, California paid family leave 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. Additionally, the family leave mediation pilot program, which allowed small employers (5 to 19 employees) to request mediation for the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) violations, has an automatic repeal date of January 1, 2025.

CFRA Overview

The California Family Rights Act (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 a family member or 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

To learn more, visit the CFRA website.

Sick Leave Protections

Expanded sick leave benefits now provide increased protections and leave options for employees experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking and offer improved access to paid sick leave for agricultural workers.

To learn more, visit the State of California DIR.

Connecticut expands paid sick leave coverage

Connecticut’s paid sick leave law enhances employee benefits and expands its employer coverage as of January 1, 2025. The phased rollout of related changes will continue through 2027.

• January 1, 2025: Employers with 25 or more employees
• January 1, 2026: Employers with 11 or more employees
• January 1, 2027: Employers with at least one employee

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 Connecticut’s Paid Sick Leave

Non-exempt service workers are eligible for paid sick leave, which accrues at one hour for every 40 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. Service workers are defined as employees whose primary job duties correspond to the federal Standard Occupational Classification System titles listed in the law.

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 service worker
• 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

To learn more, visit the Connecticut Paid Leave website.

Delaware requires employee contributions for paid leave program

Starting January 1, 2025, Delaware employers must withhold employee contributions for the Healthy Delaware Families Act (HDFA) by payroll deduction. Both employee and employer shares must be remitted to the state every quarter. This insurance program, funded by contributions from both employers and employees, will make benefits available to eligible employees beginning January 1, 2026.

HDFA Overview

The Healthy Delaware Families Act (HDFA) establishes a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program in Delaware to support employees during critical life events. 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 only required to provide 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 a qualifying exigency
• Medical leave for the employee’s own serious health condition that renders them unable to perform job functions

To learn more, visit the Delaware Paid Leave website.

Maine requires quarterly payroll contributions for paid leave benefits

Maine employers with employees at any location in Maine must make quarterly payroll contributions effective January 1, 2025, to fund PFML benefits, which will be available beginning May 1, 2026. Contributions are shared between employers and employees equally, totaling 1% of wages, with specific provisions for small businesses with fewer than 15 employees.

Overview of Maine PFML

Eligible employees are those who have worked for an employer in Maine, 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
• The employee’s own serious health condition
• To care for a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, 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 learn more about Maine PFML, visit the Maine DOL website.

New York expands protections for prenatal leave

Effective January 1, 2025, New York’s paid sick leave law now includes prenatal leave, requiring covered employers to provide paid leave for health care services related to an employee’s pregnancy. This protection is an additional benefit to the existing sick leave entitlement, allowing employees to use up to 20 hours of paid prenatal leave per year. This new benefit empowers employees to take time off for essential pregnancy-related needs, including prenatal medical appointments, managing complications, and attending childbirth education classes. It also supports preparation for the baby’s arrival, such as setting up childcare, organizing the household, and coordinating leave plans.

NYSSLL Overview

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 to 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.

Oklahoma implements tax credit for poll worker leave

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 on 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.

Oregon adds new qualifying reasons for paid leave

Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) will now include leave for the legal processes related to the placement of a foster child or adoption. This provision, which went into effect on January 1, 2025, applies to all employers, though businesses with fewer than 25 employees are not obligated to contribute to the program.

PLO Overview

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 include:

• Family leave
  • To care for and bond with a child during the first year after the child’s birth, adoption, or placement in foster care
  • To care for a family member with a serious health condition
• 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 pregnancy, childbirth, or lactation conditions.

To learn more, visit the Paid Leave Oregon website.

Washington expands upon paid sick leave law

Washington’s paid sick leave law will be amended starting January 1, 2025, with changes that expand the reasons for employee leave and broaden 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 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, care, 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 paid sick leave, visit the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries website.

Michigan set to reinstate paid sick leave law

On 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. These changes aim to provide broader access to paid sick leave, ensuring more employees can take necessary time off for health-related matters without financial hardship.

PMLA/ESTA Overview

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 is determined by the health authorities or by a health care provider that the employee or their family member’s presence in the community would jeopardize the health of others because of exposure to a 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 Michigan State website.

Maryland will be starting paid family leave contributions

Effective July 1, 2025, Maryland employers, employees, and self-employed individuals must contribute 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

Maryland’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, established under the Time to Care Act, provides eligible employees paid family and medical leave benefits. 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 in foster care, or during the first year after placement, 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 from the deployment of a service member who is the employee’s family member.

To learn more about the FAMLI program, visit the Maryland Paid Leave website.

Chicago, Illinois, set to require final pay provisions

Chicago’s Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance will introduce a significant change for medium-sized employers (those with 51 to 100 employees) on July 1, 2025. Medium-sized employers 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 healthcare provider that requires the employee to stay at home, remain at home, or obey a quarantine

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

Minnesota leave program includes anti-retaliation and notice provisions

Minnesota’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program includes specific anti-retaliation and notice provisions to protect employees and ensure they are informed about their rights. Companies cannot retaliate against employees who request or take leave under the PFML program. This policy means employers cannot discharge, discipline, penalize, interfere with, threaten, restrain, coerce, or otherwise discriminate against an employee for exercising their rights to PFML.

Effective November 1, 2025, amendments to Minnesota’s PFML law will require employers to post workplace notices, provide written information to employees about available benefits, and comply with anti-retaliation provisions. Employees must give at least 30 days advance notice for foreseeable leave and notice as soon as possible for unforeseeable leave.

Effective January 1, 2026, access to leave benefits and requirements regarding employee and employer contributions and pay statements begin.

Effective April 30, 2026, covered employers must deposit premium contributions based on wages earned between January 1, 2026, and March 31, 2026.

These provisions will ensure that employees are aware of their rights under the PFML program and are protected from retaliation when exercising those rights.

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 qualifying other reasons for a 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 PFML, visit the state website.

As 2025 unfolds, the ongoing expansion of paid family and medical leave laws highlights a growing dedication to supporting employees and their families. These changes emphasize the critical need for time and financial assistance during personal and family health challenges. Employers must remain vigilant in understanding and implementing these updates to ensure compliance, foster a supportive work environment, and enhance workforce well-being. By embracing these legislative advancements, businesses can align with legal standards and cultivate a workplace culture centered on care and productivity.