Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)

New Hampshire

NH Paid Family & Medical Leave

Effective: 01/01/23
Last updated: 01/16/24

State website: paidfamilymedicalleave.nh.gov/

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New Hampshire Paid Family Leave and New Hampshire Paid Family and Medical Leave (NH PFL and NH PFML) Plan Details

Summary:
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State or private plan: NH PFL plan is the only option for permanent state employees. For other groups, it is optional to participate in the state NH PFL plan or a private insured or self-insured plan. Eligible individuals may elect to participate in the optional state or private individual NH PFL (or NH PFML if the employer does not offer short-term disability coverage) purchasing pool.

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Mandatory coverage: Mandatory coverage only for permanent state employees.

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Waiting period: 0 days for permanent state employees; 7 days for the optional state or private NH PFL plan for employers or the individual purchasing pool option.

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Benefit duration: 6 weeks although under the optional employer plan, employers have the option to choose a 6- or 12-week maximum benefit duration plan from the state administrator.

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Maximum benefit: 60% of the Social Security maximum wage base.

 
Coverage details, including covered employers and employees
  • Mandatory State NH PFL plan for state (public) employers with permanent state employees.
  • Optional state or private (insured or self-insured) NH PFL plan for non-public employers with 50+ employees in total or public employers who don’t qualify for the mandatory NH PFL plan. Employers are only eligible if they maintain a physical location in the state of New Hampshire.
  • Optional state or private (insured or self-insured) individual purchasing pool for New Hampshire employees working in New Hampshire for an employer with a physical location in New Hampshire, with fewer than 50 employees in total or with 50+ employees in total that do not offer qualifying NH PFL coverage. Would provide NH PFL if the employer also offers short-term disability coverage, otherwise, provides NH PFML coverage. The individual purchasing pool option also requires a 7-month waiting period before becoming eligible for benefits (in addition to the 7-day waiting period described below).

Symetra does not offer NH PFL or NH PFML coverage in New Hampshire. State plan coverage is administered by an approved third-party administrator (TPA) selected by the state.

Contribution amount
  • Mandatory NH PFL plan for state/public employers with permanent state employees: Noncontributory (paid for by the state).
  • Optional state or private NH PFL plan for employers: Rate will be derived from the state plan rate for permanent state employees. Can be paid for by the employer and/or the employee.
  • Optional state or private NH PFL or NH PFML individual purchasing pool: Assume that premiums will be paid for by the employees (but can be paid for by the employer), capped at $5/week maximum. For individuals employed by employers with more than 50 employees, premiums must be remitted by employer through payroll deduction. For individuals of employers with fewer than 50 employees, can make premium remittances into FMLI premium fund administered by the department.
Employer tax credit

A Business Enterprise Tax credit of 50% of paid premium will be applicable when an employer sponsors a voluntary opt-in NH PFL plan through the approved state plan administrator.

Waiting period
  • Mandatory NH PFL plan for state/public employers with permanent state employees: No waiting period (benefits are payable on the first day of leave).
  • Optional state or private NH PFL plan for employers or the NH PFL or NH PFML individual purchasing pool: 7 days (benefits are payable on 8th day or leave). The individual purchasing pool option also requires a one-time, 7-month waiting period after enrolling in coverage before becoming eligible for benefits (in addition to the 7-day waiting period after submitting a claim).
Benefit calculation

60% of the employee’s Average Weekly Wages up to the Social Security maximum wage base.

Maximum weekly benefit amount

$1,945.38 for 2024 (60% of the Social Security wage base on a weekly basis).

Minimum weekly benefit
amount

Not applicable.

Other income amount offsets

Benefits are not reduced by other income amounts.

Note that workers' compensation is considered an exclusion and is not payable at same time as NH PFL/NH PFML (and thus is not an offset).

Maximum duration for all covered leaves
  • Mandatory NH PFL plan for state/public employers with permanent state employees: 6 weeks of NH PFL in a 12-month period.
  • Optional state or private NH PFL plan: 6 weeks of NH PFL in a 12-month period, with employer option to choose 12-week plan option from state administrator.
  • Optional state or private individual purchasing pool: 6 weeks of NH PFML in a 12-month period (although PML portion is only available if the employer does not offer short-term disability coverage).

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Symetra Life Insurance Company, 777 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1200, Bellevue, WA 98004.

First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York, New York, NY. Mailing address: P.O. Box 34690, Seattle, WA 98124.

Symetra Life Insurance Company is a direct subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation. First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York is a direct subsidiary of Symetra Life Insurance Company and is an indirect subsidiary of Symetra Financial Corporation (collectively, “Symetra”). Neither Symetra Financial Corporation nor Symetra Life Insurance Company solicits business in the state of New York and they are not authorized to do so. Each company is responsible for its own financial obligations.

Symetra® is a registered service mark of Symetra Life Insurance Company.

Symetra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or timeliness of any information provided herein. The information contained herein is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. We recommend employers speak with legal counsel specializing in labor and employment law to ensure compliance with applicable PFML and PFL mandates.

The information on this page was updated as of September 2024.