Paid Family Leave Law FAQs

No. PFL is to be used for a full day. Employees cannot work on a day they request PFL.

Perhaps. Employees cannot use more than 26 weeks of PFL and short term disability during a 52 consecutive week period. For example, if an employee was on short term disability for 20 weeks, and the employee returned and needed PFL, the employee would have 6 weeks remaining in a 52 week period.

An employee cannot be on short term disability and PFL at the same time. When short term disability ends, the employee may begin PFL as a block of time or intermittent within 12 months of the birthdate of a child.

No. Employees cannot use PFL for their own serious medical condition.

If an employee has an event that qualifies for leave under both FMLA and PFL, the leave will run concurrently.

FMLA is a federal law and provides unpaid protected leave. Unlike PFL, FMLA can be used for an employee’s own serious health condition. FMLA can be taken intermittently in quarte hour increments.

PFL is a state law that provided job protected paid leave. PFL provides coverage for additional family members that are not eligible under FLMA, including grandparents, grandchildren, and parents-in-law. PFL must be taken in increments of 1 full day.

If the employee is collecting workers’ compensation for a total disability, PFL cannot be taken. If the employee is on a reduced earnings schedule, the employee may still be eligible for PFL.

Spouses with the same employer who want to take PFL at the same time to bond with the same child, care for the same family member, or assist loved ones for the same family member deployed abroad on military service must have their employer’s approval first. Otherwise, the employee and their spouse may take leave at different times.