Paid Family and Medical Leave Around New England: 2026 Updates
The Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) landscape is becoming increasingly complex as more states introduce their own paid leave laws. Several states finalized regulations and began collecting contributions in 2025 and will begin paying benefits in 2026. Meanwhile, although multiple federal proposals have aimed to create more consistency across states, progress has stalled and we anticipate that this gridlock will likely persist under the current administration.
Outside of New England, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, and the District of Columbia have mandatory paid family and/or medical leave laws in place. While there were no new programs passed in 2025, 2026 may likely be more active in the paid leave space, with states like Pennsylvania and Virginia high on the watch list. Employers should be aware of all paid leave laws for the jurisdictions in which they have employees working and ensure they comply with any and all applicable regulations.
The Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) landscape has become increasingly complex as states propose a variety of paid leave laws across the country, even though there were no new mandatory programs enacted in 2024. Multiple states are, however, working to finalize regulations and establish their PFML programs, beginning to collect contributions in 2025, and preparing to pay benefits in 2026. In addition, while various federal programs have been proposed with the goal of aligning practices across states, there has been little movement; and we expect, with the new administration, the stalemate will continue.