Preparing for Paid Leave Oregon


The Oregon Medical Association and Cascade Employers Association have teamed up to offer OMA members local HR services, including education, training, and consulting. As part of that partnership, Cascade and OMA are providing OMA members with information to prepare for Oregon's new paid family and medical leave program. In addition to the below information, you can refer to Cascades Paid Leave Oregon Fact Sheet  for more information.

Paid Leave Oregon (PLO) is a paid family and medical leave program administered by the State of Oregon and will begin to take effect January 2023. PLO allows employees to take protected, paid time off to attend to health and safety matters of themselves and their loved ones.

Employers

All public and private employers with at least one eligible employee in Oregon are covered under PLO.  Even small employers are covered and required to comply.

Employees

Employees who earn at least $1,000 in wages during the qualifying period and who contribute to the fund are eligible for PLO.  These wages can be earned from any covered employer, not just where the employee is currently employed.

Reason for Leave


FAMILY LEAVE

  • Birth of a child
  • Bonding with a child (newborn, foster, adopted)
  • To care for a family member with a serious illness or injury


MEDICAL LEAVE

  • To care for yourself when you have a serious illness or injury


SAFE LEAVE

  • For survivors of sexual assaults, domestic violence, harassment, or stalking

Benefit Duration

Employees receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave benefits under PLO and in some situations up to 14 weeks of paid leave.

Contributions

PLO is funded by employers and employees. Employers pay 40% and employees pay 60% of the contribution rate, which is 1 percent for 2023. This portion of the program takes effect January 1, 2023.  Small employers (those with fewer than 25 employees) are exempt from paying the 40% employer contribution rate but must still deduct the 60% employee contribution.   Small employers may still choose to make the employer contribution.

Administration

PLO is a state-run program, meaning that the Oregon Employment Department will administer the program. Employees will apply for leave directly with the Oregon Employment Department, the department will determine whether the leave is approved, and the department will pay the benefits to the employee.

Equivalent Plans

Employers may choose to have an equivalent plan instead of participating in the state program. Equivalent plans are administered by either the employer or a third-party instead of the Oregon Employment Department. An equivalent plan must be equal to or more generous than the requirements of the state plan and must be approved by the Oregon Employment Department.The Oregon Employment Department is currently accepting applications for equivalent plans.

Important Dates

  • November 30, 2022: Employers must decide whether to stay with PLO or offer employees an equivalent, state-approved plan.  Equivalent plans are specifically detailed by statute.
  • January 1, 2023: Employees and employers are required to begin contributing to the PLO program fund.
  • September 3, 2023: Employees may begin taking leave. 

Public Resources

The Oregon Employment Department recently published several resources to assist employers in preparing for the PLO program:

OMA's Trusted Resources

Because this is a critical employer issue that impacts all employers with employees in Oregon, OMA has an agreement with Cascade Employers Association – the region’s most trusted employer resource on HR and employment issues, including the Paid Leave Oregon program. OMA members receive a 10% discount on membership with Cascade. Along with the many benefits of membership, you can gain access to Cascade’s exclusive Paid Leave Oregon website, including factsheets, guides, FAQs, webinars and much more.