Paid Family & Medical Leave

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At Sun Life, we can help you comply with state mandated programs and can administer and integrate these programs for you

More states are passing paid family and medical leave laws. The laws vary by state, have many moving parts and present certain challenges and considerations for employers.

Check in with us often to learn more about state programs like PFML and Statutory Disability—and how Sun Life can be your best partner for integrating your leave programs and coordinating benefits.

Frequently asked questions:

Sun Life currently offers Fully Insured and/or Self-Insured private plan administration for Paid Family and Medical Leave or Statutory Disability in the following states:

On horizon:

Click on the links above for detailed information or visit sunlife.com/stateprograms for highlights by state. 

The following states and the District of Columbia have adopted either paid leave for employees or Paid Family and Medical Leave laws: 

View the links on this page or visit www.sunlife.com/stateprograms to learn more.

Several states and the District of Columbia require that employers offer their employees a minimum level of disability or leave benefits for their own serious health condition, to care for a family member, for bonding, or other leave reasons. Some states treat time away from work during which statutory benefits are paid as being job-protected leave, while others do not.

Employers who choose private plan administration through Sun Life receive:

  • A coordinated experience between PFML, Short-Term Disability and Absence Management Solutions, if applicable. This leads to a better experience for employees, with one claim submission and a single case manager handling the claim for these benefits.
  • Robust reporting.
  • Excellent claims management and access to return to work services.
  • Compliance guidance on PFML and other leave issues.

An employer’s Short-Term Disability plan will not meet the state standards in terms of, among other things, employee eligibility, waiting period, definition of disability or serious health condition. Therefore, there are a number of situations when an employee may be eligible for benefits under a state-mandated disability or paid family and medical leave program but not eligible for benefits under the Short-Term Disability program. It is also important to note that Short-Term Disability plans provide greater protection for employees in a number of circumstances and, therefore, it is important to maintain your Short-Term Disability coverage. Sun Life can discuss these issues with you. Many states permit insurance carriers to offset statutory disability benefits against Short-Term Disability payments.

To learn about important annual updates, visit our State Programs page. This page shares highlights of all state programs as well as information about updates as we learn them. These updates may affect your billing and/or the amount of premium you collect from employees.

The state mandates vary but typically apply to all private employers in the state with one or more employee. There are often exclusions for specific public employers, entities, or religiously affiliated employers. The laws apply to employees who work in the state, so these state-mandated laws are in effect regardless of where the company’s headquarters is located, or where the company’s benefit plan is sitused.

Sun Life can administer the following plans for your business: CO PFML, CT PFML, HI TDI, MA PFML, NJ TDB, NY DBL/PFL, OR PFML, and WA PFML. Click on the state icons below to learn more or here for state-by-state program details.  

Learn more about:

Colorado

Effective 1/1/2024

Connecticut

Effective 1/1/2022

Delaware 

Effective 1/1/2026

Maryland

Effective 1/1/2026

Maine

Effective 5/1/2026

Massachusetts

Effective 1/1/2021

Minnesota

Effective 1/1/2026

New Hampshire

Effective 1/1/2023

New York

Effective 1/1/2018

Oregon

Effective 9/3/2023

Washington

Effective 1/1/2020

Washington, DC

Effective 7/1/2020

Can’t find the state you’re looking for?

Visit our Highlights of Statutory Benefits & Paid Family and Medical Leave Laws page for a state-by-state overview. 

PFML National Landscape

Compliance updates

  • Disability Insurance 
     
    With Sun Life, disabled employees receive income protection and the vocational and clinical support to move forward with their lives.
     
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    Sun Life is available to help answers your questions about private plan administration.

    Talk with your Sun Life employee benefits representative today.

This material is not legal advice and is provided for informational purposes only. Employers should consult their own employment or benefits counsel for advice concerning their specific obligations under state-mandated disability benefit laws.

In all states except New York, group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (SLOC) (Wellesley Hills, MA) under Policy Form Series 21-PFML-GP-01-CT, 20-PFML-GP-01-MA, TDBPOLICY-2006, TDI-POLICY. When available, CO PFML and OR PFML will be issued by SLOC. In New York, group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) under Policy Form Series 06P-NY-DBL. Sun Life’s self-funded or administrative-services-only offerings are or will be administered by SLOC. These services are not insurance. Not all state programs referenced on this page are issued or administered by Sun Life.

© 2022 Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, Wellesley Hills, MA 02481. All rights reserved. The Sun Life name and logo are registered trademarks of Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada. Visit us at www.sunlife.com/us

SLPC 31673 11/22 (exp. 11/24)