The Oregon Employment Department (OED) recently published its latest rules governing Oregon's new Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI) program. The PFMLI program will be funded by employer and employee contributions in the form of payroll deductions beginning Jan. 1, 2023 and will provide employees leave beginning on Sept. 3, 2023.

The PFMLI program covers any employer that employs one or more employees in Oregon, but only employers with 25 or more employees will be required to pay into the fund via payroll taxes. Employers and employees will share the cost of the 1 percent contribution rate. Employers will pay 40 percent of the contribution, and employees will pay 60 percent. The OED determines employer size by looking at all employees in the company, not just employees in Oregon.

To be eligible for benefits, an employee must have:

• Earned at least $1,000 in annual wages.
  
• Contributed to the PFMLI fund.
  
• Experienced a qualifying event necessitating leave.
  
• Current Oregon employment.
  
• Submitted an application for benefits.
  
• Not already exceeded their maximum paid leave and benefit amounts.
  
• No current disqualification from benefits, such as being eligible to receive workers' compensation or unemployment benefits.
  

Workers are entitled to 12 weeks of paid family, medical or safe leave. Employees who have limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or lactation are eligible for an additional two weeks of leave. Safe leave is leave needed as a result of...

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