The Delaware Division of Paid Leave Portal is open for enrollment.
Employers either must enroll in Delaware Paid Leave or apply for private-plan approval by the late fall with the benefit starting on January 1, 2026.
He says employers have until late fall to either voluntarily enroll in the public plan or provide mandated coverage through a private plan.
"It's going to take us a little while to straighten out, to go through all the applications, said Chris Counihan, director of Delaware’s Division of Paid Leave. “So the deadline is December 1."
If they’re a small group and not required to provide the coverage, they can sign up for paid leave and get the same rates, terms and conditions as any group in the program.
This allows them to be competitive in hiring.
Counihan explains the private-plan option.
"But also, if they're a group that is required to provide the coverage, then they can sign up to provide or to apply to provide those coverages through a private plan, which could mean a group insurance program policy, or it could be as a self-insured program," said Counihan.
Employers that qualify and choose to self-ensure employees paid leave benefits or a business that chooses to provide benefits beyond what is required will receive free access to the state’s administrative system.
That system – Delaware LaborFirst – will be for employers and third-party administrators with the goal of making those tasks easier.
There will be a webinar for employees on Thursday, October 17 about Delaware Paid Leave, and employers can register online.
The registration link can be found on the Division of Paid Leave’s website.
