It’s a win-win for employees who need support during a health or family event, and for employers who want to attract and retain top-quality personnel. Most businesses with 10 or more employees are required to participate. Get to know the guidelines now so you’re ready to fulfill the requirements later.
If you are an employer and you have any questions about either extending your existing paid time off plan or reducing the maximum number of weeks that your employees can take for Parental Leave, please contact our 24/7/365 Grandfathering Hotline at (302) 761-8375.
Delaware Paid Leave offers paid leave to employees who have been employed for at least one year and at least 1,250 hours with a single employer. If their leave is approved, employees will get up to 80% of their wages (up to $900 per week) to cover the following:
Employees are limited to a maximum of 12 weeks of total, combined leave per year.
The program will be funded by less than 1% of an employee’s weekly salary. Employers can require employees to contribute up to half the cost.
Participation in Delaware Paid Leave is mandatory for most businesses with 10 or more employees.
| Employer Type | Leave Requirements |
|---|---|
| 9 or fewer employees | Exempt |
| 10 to 24 employees | Parental Leave Only |
| 25 or more employees | Full Coverage |
| Federal government employees | Exempt |
| Seasonal operations that shut down for a month or more | Exempt |
If you offer a private paid leave benefit that is comparable to Delaware Paid Leave, you can apply to opt out of the Delaware Paid Leave plan so that your existing paid leave benefit is grandfathered. To qualify for grandfathering, your benefit program must:
Our grandfathering portal will walk you through the application process.
As an employer, you must make your choice to temporarily extend your existing paid time off benefits by January 1, 2024.
If you have between 10 and 24 employees, you can reduce your employees’ maximum Parental Leave benefit duration from the normally required 12 weeks to anywhere between 6 and 11 weeks. You can do this through the same online application process.
May 11, 2022 – Delaware Paid Leave (Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program) was signed into law.
July 11, 2023 – The regulations for Delaware Paid Leave went into effect.
October 1, 2023 to January 1, 2024 – Portal opens to allow employers to Grandfather existing paid time off benefits and/or reduce their employees’ Parental Leave duration.
September 1, 2024 to December 1, 2024 – Opt-In/Opt-Out opens for employers who wish to use a private plan to opt-out and for small groups to opt-in to Delaware Paid Leave.
January 1, 2025 – Contributions for Delaware Paid Leave begin.
January 1, 2026 – Employees can begin to submit claim applications for payment.
October 10, 2023
October 4, 2023
September 28, 2023
September 21, 2023
July 19, 2023
Healthy Delaware Families Act
Signed into law on May 10, 2022, this Act created the Delaware Paid Leave insurance program that requires employers in the state to provide their employees with Paid Family Medical Leave.
Regulations for Delaware Paid Leave
These regulations explain and clarify the provisions of the Healthy Delaware Families Act. Additional regulations are forthcoming on issues that remain to be further detailed.
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If you have a question about Delaware Paid Leave, or would like to schedule a presentation for your business, email PFML@delaware.gov.Delaware's Governor
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