DELAWARE - Delaware's Paid Leave program has paid more than 1,700 claims and distributed more than $7.6 million in benefits during its first six months, according to the Delaware Department of Labor's Division of Paid Leave.
The program began accepting claims on Jan. 1. In February, the state said payments were delayed because of a LaborFirst system error, but as of June 30, the Division of Paid Leave said it had approved and paid 1,760 claims.
According to the department, 45.5 percent of approved claims were for medical leave, 43 percent were for parental leave, 11.5 percent were for family caregiver leave and 0.1 percent were for qualified exigency leave, which allows employees to assist a family member during an overseas military deployment.
The department said more than 11,000 benefit payments have been issued, including payments for intermittent leave, which allows employees to take leave in smaller increments instead of one continuous period away from work.
“We’re thrilled to see initial results like this, validating the importance of Delaware Paid Leave in our state,” said Chris Counihan, Director of Delaware Paid Leave. “People are utilizing the program as they need to, whether it’s for a medical emergency or something that has been planned. We encourage all employees to file a claim, if needed, and discover if they’re eligible for benefits.”
Eligible employees can receive income replacement of up to 80 percent of their average weekly wage, with a maximum benefit of $900 per week. The program allows up to 12 weeks of paid leave each year for qualifying reasons.
Employers who have not enrolled in the program and employees seeking information can contact the Division of Paid Leave at 302-761-8375 or by email at PFML@Delaware.gov.
