Delaware Paid Leave

According to the Delaware Department of Labor, since January 1, 2026, most Delaware workers have been eligible for paid family and medical leave under Delaware’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law, with benefits of up to 80% of wages and no more than $900 per week.¹

The program will provide eligible employees job-protected, paid leave benefits for up to 12 weeks for parental leave every year and up to a combined six weeks every two years for employees’ own medical needs.

Who is eligible for Paid Leave in Delaware?

To be eligible for Delaware Paid Leave, you must:

1. Work primarily in Delaware 60% of your time or more
2. Have worked for your employer for at least 12 months
3. Have been employed for at least 1,250 hours with the employer during the 12-month period

Eligible employees can begin filing claims for paid family leave at labor.delaware.gov/laborfirst . Once your claim is approved, payments begin quickly, as there’s no waiting week for benefits.

Delaware Department of Labor 
Division of Paid Leave