Eligibility

To be eligible for PFL, employees must: (i) regularly work 20 or more hours per week and be employed for at least 26 consecutive workweeks preceding the first full day PFL is taken; or (ii) regularly work less than 20 hours per week and be employed for at least 175 days preceding the first full day PFL is taken.

Permissible Purposes for PFL

Eligible employees will be entitled to paid time away from work (i) to care for a family member with a serious health condition, (ii) to bond with a child after birth or placement for adoption or foster care within the first 12 months after the birth or placement, or (iii) because of any qualifying exigency arising from the fact that an employee’s spouse, domestic partner, child, or parent is on active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty) in the armed forces of the United States.

Notice of Leave

Employees must provide at least 30 days advance notice before PFL is to begin if the qualifying reason for leave is foreseeable. When not foreseeable, the employee must provide notice as soon as practicable under the facts and circumstances and within the time prescribed by the Company’s usual and customary notice requirements. Failure to provide timely notice may result in PFL being delayed or denied.

Certification

Eligible employees who wish to take PFL must comply with applicable certification requirements and may be required to provide additional documentation (such as copies of military orders), as permitted by law.

Use of Other Leave

To the extent permitted by law, employees may elect to charge all or part of their PFL to accrued but unused vacation days and receive full pay. In such case, the Company will seek reimbursement from the Company’s disability insurance carrier out of any PFL benefits due prior to the Company disability insurance carrier's payment of such PFL benefits to you.

PFL will run concurrently with leave taken pursuant to the federal Family Medical Leave Act (with the exception of leave taken due to the employee’s own health condition).

PFL Benefits and Protections

Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of leave during a 52-week period and receive the lower of 67% of their average weekly wage or the state’s average weekly wage.

Leave taken under this policy is job protected, meaning the Company must generally restore an employee who returns from leave to the same or comparable position. While on leave, employees will continue to receive existing health insurance coverage, provided that they continue to pay their share of health insurance premiums. An employee may lose coverage retroactively to the date an unpaid premium was due (upon proper notice from our carrier) if the employee fails to pay his or her portion of the premium in a timely fashion.

Limitations

PFL may only be taken in full-day increments unless otherwise provided by law. Disability leave and PFL may not be used at the same time. Employees will not be entitled to PFL if employee’s family leave combined with disability benefits previously received exceeds 26 weeks during the same 52 consecutive calendar weeks.

Funding of PFL Benefits

In accordance with state law, PFL benefits are funded through payroll deductions at a prescribed amount from each eligible employee. Employees who are ineligible for PFL will be given the option of filing a waiver of benefits, exempting them from payroll deductions, as permitted by law.