Oregon’s new paid family leave program begins in September. Learn more here.

By Emily Harris / AXIOS

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Oregon’s new paid family leave program opened for applications Monday, following four years of preparation — disrupted by COVID — after the Legislature authorized it in 2019 with bipartisan support.

Why it matters: Lack of paid family leave often forces workers to choose between paying the bills and caring for a loved one.

State of play: The program allows employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid time off to care for a new child, a seriously ill family member or their own health or personal safety. It will cover the entire paycheck of a minimum wage worker and scales down as income climbs.

• Oregon is now one of a dozen states where most workers will have this benefit regardless of employer.
• It’s one of five that include “affinity” relationships in the definition of family.

How it works: Both employees and employers have been paying into the Paid Leave Oregon fund since the beginning of this year. Sept. 3 is the earliest that benefits can start.

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