In December 2022, New Hampshire opened enrollment to private employers in the Nation’s first voluntary paid family and medical leave insurance program, aptly named the Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan (Granite State Plan or NH PFML). The Granite State Plan, which was initially introduced in 2019 as part of a failed joint proposal with Vermont – the Twin State Voluntary Leave Plan – was enacted in 2021. Vermont has since adopted a similar voluntary program.

Unlike most other states’ paid family and medical leave insurance laws, the Granite State Plan does not require employers to enroll in an NH PFML insurance plan. Participation in the plan is entirely optional, and individuals may be eligible to purchase an individual plan through the State’s insurance provider partner, MetLife, even if an employer chooses not to participate in the program.

In addition to the statute, the State of New Hampshire has published a series of FAQs and other guidance for private employers and workers. This guidance features subtle differences from the statute itself, so the insurance policies MetLife and other approved insurers provide will ultimately dictate the scope of the available benefits. Based on the available guidance, below are the key aspects of the Granite State Plan of which all New Hampshire employers should be aware.

Reasons for and Amount of NH PFML Leave

For private employers and individual workers, the Granite State Plan provides paid leave to covered employees for the...

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