FAQ Friday Category State and Local

Employers must consider several factors related to their short-term disability (STD) program such as costs, employee experience, and the work location of their employees, including virtual/remote employees. In states with a statutory disability program, employers must also consider: Whether to…

Increasingly, state paid family leave programs are recognizing the ongoing transformation of the make-up of families. As a result, the definition of family member has become broader out of a need to provide benefits to those caring for “chosen family”…

There are still several other factors to consider before deciding to move to voluntary plan administration for California SDI and PFL; however, this change could make it more viable for some employers to move to voluntary plan administration. Senator Gavin…

Every state law is different so it’s important to review any new leave law details and definitions before making a definitive determination. However, new unpaid leave law legislation can often be vague regarding determination of employer size. It is safest…

There isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” answer to this question as it can depend on a number of factors, including company culture. There are a few key things to consider if you are facing this question. While there is not necessarily a…

A private plan must meet or exceed all requirements set forth in the state plan regulations. This can mean individually or a combination of benefits, duration, eligibility, or other provisions of the plan. All private plans must be filed and…

PFML requirements for an employee are typically based on how that employee’s payroll is coded. In general, if an employee’s payroll is coded as a worker in a statutory state, the employer would be required to meet the respective statutory…

While the documentation requirements may differ from state to state based on regulations, for purposes of confirming the family relationship type of affinity, we expect this to follow the same lines as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Documentation…

It depends on the state. Under the Massachusetts paid family and medical leave (MA PFML) program for example, if an employee takes leave under an employer’s leave policy, that leave will count towards and run concurrently with MA PFML —…

If an employee exhausts the four months of leave available under the PDL prior to the birth of their child, and the employee remains disabled so that leave continues to be medically necessary, an employer may, but is not required…