Overview

NH Paid Family and Medical Leave (NH PFML) is a voluntary insurance plan that provides NH workers with 60% wage replacement (up to the Social Security wage cap) for up to 6 weeks per year for absences from work for covered common life events.

NH PFML insurance is available to all NH employers, including for-profit, non-profit, private, and public firms, and to all NH workers.
Employers must have a physical location in NH to be eligible for NH PFML insurance. Workers are eligible for coverage if they are designated as working for a NH employer and have their wages reported to NH for unemployment purposes.

NH PFML is available to employers as a group plan and to workers as an individual plan if their employer does not provide NH PFML insurance or equivalent benefits.

NH PFML is offered by MetLife, the state’s paid family and medical leave insurance partner. Employers are not required to purchase NH PFML insurance from MetLife. NH Department of Insurance regulations allow other insurance companies to seek approval to offer paid family and medical leave benefit plans, however, employers who purchase other paid family and medical leave insurance plans will not qualify for the BET tax credit provided to employers who purchase NH PFML through MetLife.

NH PFML insurance plans are funded by premiums paid by NH workers and NH employers participants. Employer group plans are individually underwritten based on information provided during the quoting process, such as the employer's census, selected NH PFML plan, cost sharing with workers, if any, and terms of any applicable short-term disability policy. The cost of the premium for the NH PFML individual plan is determined during the enrollment process. Per state law, the cost for NH PFML individual plan insurance will be no more than $5 per week.

All NH employers with a physical location in NH are eligible for NH PFML insurance.

Workers are eligible if they:

• are employed full-time or part-time, and
• are designated as working for a NH employer and report wages to NH for unemployment purposes. 

Self-employed and sole proprietors are eligible if they:

• work for themselves, 
• pay themselves W-2 compensation, 
• and do not employ any other person. 

If a sole-proprietor employs more than one person and pays W-2 compensation to themselves and their workers, they are considered an employer and can purchase a group policy.

Eligibility will be verified by MetLife during the enrollment process.
 

• Paid family leave and paid medical leave in a single insurance policy
• 60% wage replacement (up to the Social Security wage cap)
• Up to 6 weeks of wage replacement benefits per benefit year for qualified leave reasons
• Full day, reduced schedule or partial day leaves (minimum of 4-hour increments)
• BET tax credit equal to 50% of the premium paid by the employer each year (for 6-week plan purchased through MetLife)

NH PFML insurance is available as an employer-sponsored group plan or as an individual plan for workers who are not covered by a NH PFML group plan or equivalent benefits.

Employer group plans are individually underwritten based on information provided during the quoting process, such as the employer's census, selected NH PFML plan, cost sharing with workers, if any, and terms of any applicable short-term disability policy.

Employers work with MetLife to select a NH PFML insurance plan that meets their business needs (within regulatory parameters set by the state) and determine coverage terms and premium cost.

The employer group plan includes:

• Paid family and paid medical leave together in a single insurance policy
• 60% wage replacement (up to the Social Security wage cap)
• Up to 6 weeks of wage replacement benefits per benefit year 
• Optional MetLife 12-week coverage plan
• BET tax credit equal to 50% of the premium paid by the employer each year(for 6-week plan purchased through MetLife)
• Options for premium funding through employer and/or worker contributions
• Full day, reduced schedule or partial day leaves (minimum of 4-hour increments)
• Up to a 7-calendar day elimination period

Employer group plans are individually underwritten. Premiums are based on information provided during the quoting process including, but not limited to::

• 6-week or 12-week plan**
• Percentage of employer contribution
• Workforce demographics/census
• Employer STD plan
• BET tax credit

** The BET tax credit is applicable to the employer-paid premium for six weeks of coverage of a 12-week plan.

The NH PFML individual plan consists of NH workers pooled together to make NH PFML accessible if their employer does not sponsor a NH PFML group plan, or equivalent benefits.

Coverage in the individual plan includes:

• Paid family and paid medical leave together in a single insurance policy
• 60% wage replacement (up to the Social Security wage cap)
• Up to 6 weeks of wage replacement benefits per benefit year (not including the elimination period)
• Full day, reduced schedule or partial day leaves (minimum of 4-hour increments)
• An elimination period of a single unpaid work week before benefits may be paid, if applicable
• A one-time 7-month waiting period that must be satisfied before the benefits begin
• Premiums of no more than $5 per week/$260 a year