Creating Paid Leave Oregon

Creating Paid Leave Oregon together

We’re working to create a program that reflects and benefits all individuals, families and businesses in Oregon. Through open and continuous partnership with our communities, businesses, employees and advocacy groups, we are committed to delivering the best possible results to all our communities.

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We want to make sure you get the latest information and news as we roll out Paid Leave Oregon. Sign up for our bulletin, messages, important updates and more. You can also read past bulletins here.

How we’re creating Paid Leave Oregon

Paid Leave Oregon begins and ends with people. What we do—and how we do it—is built around the many experiences, abilities and needs of our communities.

Program overview and legislative history

Paid Leave Oregon provides people who work, own businesses or run organizations in Oregon easy access to paid leave benefits so they have the support, resources, and peace of mind during life's important moments. We envision a future Oregon where individuals, employers and families—of every kind—have the time and support they need to care for themselves and their loved ones when life's events impact their health and safety.

As we make decisions, create processes and set goals, we listen to and ground the program in the many experiences of our Oregon communities, because everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and empowered.

You can also learn more about the history and current status of Paid Leave Oregon through the following resources:

Current Statute

Current Rules

Legislative History:

SB 1515 (2022)

HB 3398 (2021)

HB 2005 (2019)

Timeline

On Jan. 1, 2023, contributions into the program begin.

On Sept. 3, 2023, employees can begin applying for benefits.

To learn more about the process so far and future plans, take a look at the timeline.

Program goals

The scope of establishing Paid Leave Oregon is outlined in ORS chapter 657B. The project is very large and consists of developing an entire division within the Oregon Employment Department to develop and administer Paid Leave Oregon. There are a number of critical work streams that include detailed project management plans outlining various scopes, schedules, and deliverables. The ultimate goal is to deliver benefits to Oregonians who qualify for this crucial program. To do that we need to:

Establish the Paid Leave Oregon Division.
Develop formal rules, policies, and standards for the program.
Develop all necessary technology to receive contributions and deliver benefits.
Conduct outreach statewide to employers, employees, underserved and underrepresented communities, health care providers, and other community-based organizations.
Secure physical space and hire operational staff prior to each phase going live.

How are we going to deliver the program?

Delivery of Paid Leave Oregon will be the result of intensive collaboration between our Advisory Committee, technical experts both inside and outside the Oregon Employment Department (OED), and policymakers. The newly formed Paid Leave Oregon Division is responsible for project management, policy and rule development, and collaboration with the Modernization Program as well as other divisions within OED as we drive to share information with employers and employees across Oregon about how this program will work and as we ensure we have the tools in place to collect their contributions and pay Paid Leave benefits.

Measure of program goals

The program implementation uses Scrum, an agile method for developing and completing complex projects. Scrum is a framework that supports being flexible with priorities and business decision-making. It helps teams work together with a set of meetings, tools and roles that help them structure and manage work. In addition to agile work methods, implementation work streams will also be guided by an integrated master schedule that covers the entire life of the project and makes it possible to track progress and milestones. Key outcomes include:

Paid Leave Oregon is a self-sustaining program and collects all necessary funds for implementation and ongoing administration.
The project and division establish an inclusive culture dedicated to continuous improvement.
The project delivers exceptional services on time and within budget for Oregonians.
The project reports successfully on all required components defined in ORS chapter 657B.

Release plan

As with many statewide programs, there is a lot of planning—from creating policies and rules, to training staff and making sure we have the right technology to support the program. For more about the work we're doing to get ready to launch Paid Leave Oregon, or if you have any questions about the process, read the Release Plan.

Objectives and key deliverables

Deliverable	Target Date	Status
Form Advisory Committee	December 2019	Complete
Conduct third-party actuarial analysis of projected revenues/costs	February 2020	Complete
Hire initial policy staff	March 2020	Complete
Conduct five town hall meetings reaching over 2,500 Oregonians	November and December 2020	Complete
Reach decision about whether the state will administer Paid Leave benefits	February 2021	Complete
Complete contract negotiations for communications and outreach	August 2021	Complete
Develop administrative rules, policies, and procedures	Rolling	In Progress
Business design, process mapping, and system requirements to support technology development for equivalent plans, contributions, benefits, and small business grants	July 2021 until implementation	In Progress
Technology development for equivalent plans, contributions, and small business grants in partnership with OED Modernization program	July 2021 - September 2022	In Progress
Begin intensive outreach and public awareness campaign	September 2021	In Progress
Begin technology development for benefits	September 2022	Not Started
Train staff to process contributions and benefits	Rolling	In Progress
Begin collecting contributions	January 2023	Not Started
Begin paying benefits and small business grants	September 2023	Not Started

External dependencies

The statutory timelines were aggressive for creating an entirely new program when ORS chapter 657B was enacted. The COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 wildfires required the Oregon Employment Department to redirect many resources to help get unemployment insurance claims processed and benefits paid in response to those emergencies, which has affected the pace of Paid Leave Oregon’s development. The department is now working with the Governor's Office and the Legislature to establish an achievable timeline to ensure that when the program is launched, it will be able to support the needs of Oregon workers and employers.

Several key considerations will determine the time needed to implement the program successfully:

Whether the department decides to implement Paid Leave benefits technology and associated business processes under the agency's Modernization Program, using the same technology that will support UI benefits functions.
Timing required to update Department of Revenue (DOR) systems and forms to implement Paid Leave as part of the existing payroll reporting process.
Time and resources needed for policy development, outreach, and education prior to contributions becoming payable.
Ability of the Oregon Employment Department to repay the General Fund loan it received by the end of the 2021-23 biennium.
Continued engagement and strong partnerships with our State Partners Team – including BOLI, DOR, DAS, DHS, DCBS, SOS, LFO, Treasury, OHA and The Governor's Office.

Paid Leave contributions will be collected beginning Jan. 1, 2023 and benefits are payable beginning Sept. 3, 2023.

After Paid Leave begins paying benefits, the department anticipates the need for a substantial period of stabilization, refinement, and continual improvement of systems and policies to ensure that the intended benefits of the Paid Leave Oregon program are fully realized.

Advisory Committee meetings

What is the Advisory Committee?

The Advisory Committee is a group of people that represents communities in Oregon and gives input to Paid Leave Oregon. The committee is made up of nine people who offer important advice about the program policies, rules, administration and more. Four members represent employees, four represent employers, including small businesses, and one represents the Employment Department.

Meeting times

Advisory Committee meetings are on the first Wednesday of each month from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (dates and times may change.) Right now, all meetings are virtual via Zoom, and are open to the public. The public is invited for listening only, but if you have any questions, concerns or statements to share, please email us at paidleave@oregon.gov. Your input matters. Meeting agendas, notes, and materials are posted five to seven days before each meeting.

Meeting Agendas and Notes

If you are interested in reading the meeting agenda or notes, they're available here:

October 5, 2022: Agenda/Notes

September 7, 2022: Agenda/Notes

August 3, 2022: Agenda/Notes

July 6, 2022: Agenda/Notes

Aug. 5, 2020: Agenda/Notes | Materials

June 10, 2020: Agenda/Notes

May 6, 2020: Agenda/Notes

April 15, 2020: Agenda/Notes | Materials

March 4, 2020: Agenda/Notes | Materials

Jan. 28, 2020: Agenda/Notes

Dec. 19, 2019: Agenda/Notes | Materials

Rulemaking Advisory Committee meetings

What is the Rulemaking Advisory Committee?

The Rulemaking Advisory Committee is a group of people who give input on any new rules or when rules are changed. Members of the Advisory Committee make up the Rulemaking Advisory Committee (RAC). During the RAC meetings, the public is invited to give input and suggestions on any changes to program rules or the creation of new ones, or any financial impacts they may have. Learn more about the RAC meetings.

Past meetings

Learn more about the rulemaking process and how you can get involved.

Get involved

Do you have suggestions and input about Paid Leave Oregon? We want to hear from you. Please call us at 833-854-0166 (toll-free), email us at paidleave@oregon.gov, or join us at an upcoming event.

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