Maryland Paid Family and
Medical Leave (MD PFML)
Maryland Paid Family and Medical Leave (MD PFML) is a mandated paid leave program that offers job protection and wage replacement benefits if an employee is unable to work due to injury or illness, including pregnancy and childbirth. Employees may be eligible for PFL to care for a seriously ill family member, to bond with a new child, and to address a family member’s military duty.
Employers can participate in the state-run program (Maryland Family and Medical Leave Insurance (MD FAMLI), or they can self-insure or fully insure a private plan.
MetLife will offer self-insured and fully insured MD PFML plans.
Benefit Overview
Mandated Coverage & Employee Eligibility
HintLeave Reason, Duration, Job Protection
HintCost of Coverage and Contributions
HintBenefit Payments
HintEmployers are required to offer MD PFML benefits if they have at least one employee working in Maryland.
All employees who work in Maryland or whose work is localized in Maryland are eligible for benefits if they have worked in Maryland for 680 hours in the past 12 months and have a qualifying leave reason.
Freelance, independent workers, contractors, and anyone that works outside of the usual course of business who is free from control and direction may opt-in to the state-run program.
Eligible employees can receive job protection and wage replacement benefits for certain reasons.
An employee can have more than one benefit each year up to 12 weeks total. An additional 12 weeks may be available for child bonding.
Medical Leave can be taken for up to 12 weeks to:
- address a personal serious health condition or injury including pregnancy
Family Leave can be taken for up to 12 weeks to:
- bond with a new child
- care for a family member with a serious health condition
- assist while loved ones are on overseas military deployment
MD PFML can be taken intermittently (in 4-hour increments), or on a continuous leave or reduced leave basis, depending on the leave reason.
The maximum PFML employee contribution will be 0.45% of an employee’s wages. In 2025, the employee taxable wage base is determined by the Social Security taxable maximum, or $176,100.
Private plan insurance premiums may differ, however, state covered payroll caps apply. Employee maximum contributions for a private plan cannot be more than what they would pay for the state-run program. Employers fund the balance of the premium for insured private plans.
MetLife can also provide claim administration for self-insured private plans. Employers are allowed to collect payroll contributions up to the state’s maximums and use the funds to pay benefits. Service fees paid to support the operating costs for state approved self-insured plans are the employer’s responsibility.
Please visit the state program’s website for the latest state rates and additional state plan information.
The benefit amount an employee can receive depends on the employee’s average weekly pay and compares it to the average weekly pay for everyone in Maryland.
Here’s how it works:
An employee can receive 90% wage replacement on the first 65% of the state’s average weekly wage, plus 50% of the wages above 65% of the state’s average weekly wage, up to the maximum benefit. In 2025, an employee could receive a maximum weekly benefit of $1,000.
Key Dates
- The MD FAMLI Division online portal opens for employer registration and private plan applications
Applying for a MetLife Private Plan & Employer Requirements
To obtain a quote from MetLife, you or your broker must create a census of your eligible Maryland workforce and send it to MetLife.
MetLife will offer self-insured and fully insured MD PFML private plans.
If fully insured, the Maryland FAMLI Division will allow insurance carriers to provide a Declaration of Intent, for a limited time, for purposes of applying for a private plan. Once the state approves MetLife’s MD PFML policy, we will issue policies instead of a Declaration of Intent.
If self-insured, you will need to work with your own employment counsel to define your MD PFML plan to submit to the state for approval.
All eligible employers will need to register with the state when the portal becomes available in the Spring of 2025.
Employers who register in the Spring will automatically be enrolled into the state plan administered by the MD FAMLI Division, unless you apply for a private plan.
A private plan must have at least the same rights, protections, and benefits provided to employees under the state plan. MetLife will offer self-insured and fully insured MD PFML private plans.
The application fee for a private plan will range from $100-$1,000 depending on the employer’s size. The application fee for a self-insured plan will be $1,000.
The Division will release more information about the application process in the coming months.
Once you receive your approval, you need to provide MetLife a copy of your state approved plan.
You are responsible for notifying all eligible employees of the benefits available to them.
Additional details coming soon.
Additional details coming soon.
Reporting Requirements
Quarterly reporting to the state will be required.
Need more information?
FAQs
- the spouse or domestic partner
- a child (including biological, adopted, foster, or stepchild)
- a parent (including biological, adopted, foster, or stepparent) including the employee’s spouse
- a grandparent (including biological, adopted, foster, or step-grandparent)
- a grandchild (including biological, adopted, foster, or step-grandchild)
- a sibling (including biological, adopted, foster, or step-sibling)
- a person for whom the employee, or the employee’s spouse, has court appointed decision making authority over (financial and/or personal)
- an individual who acted as a parent or stood in loco parentis to the employee or the employee’s spouse when the employee or the employee’s spouse was a minor. (For example, the employee’s step-parent from when the employee was a minor even if they are no longer married to the employee’s birth parent)
- a child for whom the employee has court appointed decision making authority over (financial and/or personal) and/ or who lives with the employee; and a child the employee has assumed the obligations of a parent for without formal adoption proceedings
As of December 09, 2024