Leave Administration

You may take up to 12 weeks per benefit year for any combination of approved leave.

• Medical leave to care for your own serious health condition
• Family leave to bond with a new child during the first 12 months or caring for a family member with a serious health condition
• Safe leave to seek help related to domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault or stalking

An additional two weeks of paid leave may be available for complications related to pregnancy, childbirth or a related medical condition.

All County employees, except for elected officials, will be eligible for PFML.

Contributions depend on your earnings. Here’s an example:

Payroll deductions will begin on September 1, 2023.

Employee contributions to PFML are calculated as 60% of 1% of total gross earnings for the first $132,900.00 per year.

This means, when you earn $132,900.00 for the year, you won’t have additional contributions until the next 12 month period.

To calculate your contribution, multiply your gross earnings by 0.01. Next, multiple that result by 0.60. The result is your contribution amount per pay check until your total gross earnings reach the maximum amount of $132,900.00 for the year.

Example:   
Your gross earnings are $2,615.42 on your pay check.    
$2,615.42 x 0.01 = $26.15   
$26.15 x 0.60 = $15.69   
Your contribution to PFML for this pay date would be $15.69

No, PFML is a state-mandated benefit.

As with other insurance benefits, individuals do not receive contribution refunds for unused benefits.

You must give at least 30 days’ notice if you know you’ll need to use PFML. In emergency situations, you or your representative must give verbal notice within 24 hours of starting leave and must then provide written notice within three days of starting leave.

No, you don’t have to exhaust your sick and vacation banks before using this benefit. 

Benefits depend on your earnings compared to Oregon’s Average Weekly Wage, currently $1,269.69. The current minimum weekly benefit amount is $63.48 and the maximum weekly benefit amount is $1,523.63. Here’s an example:

You may use accrued paid leave in addition to your PFML benefits in increments of 30%, 50% or 100% of your regularly scheduled hours per week until they exhaust. For example, if you are on PFML for 40 hours a week and elect the 50% option, you’ll receive 20 hours of accruals each week until your accruals exhaust. Paid accruals will be received on the pay date for which leave was taken.

Employees are not required to use their sick and vacation accruals during PFML.

Benefits are paid weekly during leave.

Beginning September 3, 2023 The Standard will administer PFML, as well as FMLA, OFLA, Military Leave, and Educational/Extended union leaves. Individuals who have already been approved for leave prior to September 3 will receive a letter with additional information about their ongoing or future leave.

As of September 3, 2023 all employee FMLA and OFLA leave banks will be reset to provide all employees with 12 weeks of FMLA and OFLA leave as of that date, regardless of whether they have used protected leave previously (i.e. everyone gets a new bank of FMLA and OFLA leave starting September 3, 2023.)

Yes, PFML may be taken in increments that are equivalent to one work day or one work week.

Yes. If you have worked at the County for at least 90 days before taking PFML you are entitled to be restored to the position you held when your leave started. If your position no longer exists at the end of your leave, you are entitled to be restored to any available equivalent position with equivalent employment benefits, pay and other terms and conditions of employment.

Yes, any health care benefits employees had prior to the leave will be maintained during PFML. Employee contributions will also continue during leave as is the case during other leaves of absence.

No, PFML is not replacing our short- and long-term benefits.

Any family leave or medical leave taken under PFML must be taken concurrently with any leave taken under Oregon family leave law or under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 for the same purposes.

PFML benefits are in addition to paid sick time (including Oregon state-required paid sick time), vacation leave or other paid leave earned by an employee.

You may use paid sick time, vacation leave or any other paid leave earned in addition to receiving PFML benefits to replace or supplement your wages during an approved leave.

If you are eligible for workers' compensation or unemployment benefits, you are disqualified for that period for PFML benefits.