Oregonians to start receiving Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits
Sep. 17—Working Oregonians who need to take time off work to care for important personal and familial life events can start receiving paid leave benefits through the state's new paid family and medical leave program, Paid Leave Oregon. Employees can apply for benefits online by visiting frances.oregon.gov/Claimant.
Offering paid leave is critical to making Oregon's economy strong, allowing employees to keep their jobs during important life events and improving worker retention and production. Oregon legislators first championed and passed Paid Leave Oregon in 2019 (House Bill 2005), making Oregon one of just 11 states, along with Washington D.C., to offer paid family and medical leave.
"This practical, affordable program is going to be life changing for so many Oregonians and their families. Paid Leave Oregon is going to make Oregon families healthier and safer by providing valuable time for working people to take care of ailing or aging family members or escape a dangerous domestic violence situation. It sends a message to every hard-working Oregonian that their time and their families matter," said Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Milwaukie, Oak Grove, SE & NE Portland), who chief sponsored and led the charge to pass HB 2005.
In addition to the Paid Leave Oregon plan, in 2023, Democrats passed legislation to support working families, including Oregon's first-ever state-based child tax credit (House Bill 3235) providing up to $1,000-per-child for qualifying families struggling to make ends meet and impactful solutions to the child care shortage.
"I'm proud to say that here in Oregon, you don't have to choose between a paycheck and caring for your family," said Representative Annessa Hartman (D-Gladstone, Oregon City & N Clackamas County), member of the House Committee on Early Childhood and Human Services. "Democrats are building an Oregon for working families, and with many working and single parents like myself in the Legislature, I can say we've only just begun."
Supporting working families is a central part of House and Senate Democrats' agendas.
ABOUT PAID LEAVE OREGON
Paid Leave Oregon covers paid family leave, medical leave, and safe leave for most Oregon workers.
Employees can apply for the following reasons:
To care for themselves or members of their family during the birth of a child, or to bond with a child after birth, adoption, or placement of a child in their home through foster care;
To care for themselves during a serious health condition;
To care for a family member when they have a serious health condition;
If they or their child experience sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment, or stalking.
Most workers will be able to take up tov12 weeks of paid leave annually through the program, although those who are pregnant, have given birth or have health issues related to childbirth, may be eligible for up to 14 weeks of paid leave.
Employees will be eligible to receive benefits for leave taken on or after September 3, and payments will begin going out in mid-September. Benefits are determined by a sliding scale. Oregon workers making minimum wage will receive 100% of their paycheck while on leave and those earning more will be eligible to receive up to $1,523.63 per week.
