As Delaware Paid Leave moves closer to implementation, there are important steps employers can take now to be fully compliant and ready to provide this valuable benefit to their employees on Jan. 1, 2026.

From now through Dec. 1, 2024, employers are required to either voluntarily enroll in Delaware Paid Leave or apply for private-plan approval. Through Delaware LaborFirst, the state’s new online administrative system for the Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) insurance program, employers can notify the Division of Paid Leave that they have purchased a Delaware Department of Insurance-approved Group PFML insurance policy or apply to self-insure their own compliant PFML plan.

Employers who wish to self-insure their own compliant PFML program or self-fund a “top-up” plan, offering benefits beyond the minimum coverage required by law, will receive free access to Delaware LaborFirst for themselves and third-party administrators. Employers who choose to use Delaware Paid Leave to administer their self-insured plan can also use the system to report and track employees’ hours and wages, manage their claims-adjudication process, and facilitate the appeals process. Delaware LaborFirst will help ensure compliance with the rules of Delaware Paid Leave.

For more information about Delaware Paid Leave, please visit de.gov/paidleave. You can also register for the webinar on Thursday, Oct. 17 here.