Eastern Oregon University > Human Resources > PLO Questions

PLO Questions

Are Students eligible?

Non-work study students are eligible for PLO.

Can you use Short Term Disability and PLO?

Yes. STD is affected by the payment amount received from PLO.  The more received from PLO, the less you will receive from STD.

Should I keep my Short-Term Disability?

Every employee should review the payment chart for PLO and STD available on the Paid Leave Oregon page.  This will give you an idea of the cost of the monthly STD premium would be worth it.

Can you use PLO and when that 12 weeks ends; can I then use my Short-Term Disability?

No. PLO and STD both begin on the first day of the disability.  OFLA/FMLA qualifying events also start at the same time.  This gives a minimum of 12 weeks of protected leave in 52 weeks.

What is Paid Leave Oregon?

Paid Leave Oregon is a new program that allows employees in Oregon to take paid time off for some of life’s most important moments.

When can employees take paid leave?

Employees can take time off for three different kinds of life events:

Family leave:

  • To care for a family member with a serious illness or injury
  • Birth of a child
  • Bonding with a child
    • In the first year after birth
    • After adoption
    • When they’re placed in your home through foster care

Medical leave: To care for yourself when you have a serious health condition

Safe leave: For survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment, or stalking.

Who is eligible for Paid Leave Oregon?

Most employees in Oregon are eligible for Paid Leave Oregon.

  • If you’re an employee in Oregon who made at least $1,000 the year before applying for paid leave, you may be eligible. 
  • Whether you work full-time, part-time, seasonally, or for more than one employer, it counts.
  • If you are self-employed or an independent contractor, you are not automatically covered but can choose coverage.
  • Employees of tribal governments are also not automatically covered. Tribal governments that want to provide Paid Leave benefits to their employees can choose coverage for some or all their businesses.

How is the program funded?

Paid Leave is a program we all pay into. Here’s how it works for employees:

  • Employees pay 60% of the contribution rate. The Oregon Employment Department decides the amount before the beginning of each year, and it won’t be more than 1% of an employee’s gross wages.
  • For example, if an employee’s paycheck totals $1,000, they would pay $6 as their portion of contributions for that paycheck. 
  • The contribution rate for 2023 is 1%.

Here’s how it works for employers: 

  • Employers with 25 or more employees pay 40% of the contribution rate. 

Who passed the paid leave law in Oregon?

Businesses, workers, and others have been talking about bringing paid leave to Oregon since at least 2016. The Oregon State Legislature passed it into law in 2019 so more people in Oregon could have the time and support they need to care for themselves and their loved ones when life’s important moments happen. We all go through events in life where we need time to care for ourselves or those we love.

When and how does the Oregon Employment Department (OED) announce the statewide average weekly wage?

OED announces the statewide average weekly wage yearly in June on its website, press releases, and bulletins. It is effective from July 1 through June 30 of the next year. The statewide average weekly wage is the average weekly wage amount all employees in Oregon earn.

Who is eligible to claim benefits, and how are benefits paid?

Most employees in Oregon who made at least $1,000 in the year before they apply for benefits may be eligible. On Aug. 14, 2023, eligible employees can apply for benefits. They can start taking paid leave on Sept. 3, 2023. Employees apply for paid leave and file claims with The Standard.

How are benefit amounts decided, and is there a maximum amount?

We calculate benefits based on the wages and income an employee earned in the prior year, so every employee’s benefit amount will be different. The maximum amount an employee will be paid is 120% of the state average weekly wage—the average amount employees throughout the state earn. Oregon’s average weekly wage for 2023-2024 is $1,269.69. Based on that, the minimum weekly benefit is $63.48, and the maximum weekly benefit is $1,523.63. The Oregon Employment Department updates the average weekly wage each July.

Will there be a waiting week for benefits, similar to the state of Washington’s paid leave program or the Oregon Unemployment Insurance Program?

No, there will be no waiting week for Paid Leave benefits in Oregon.

Can I apply for bonding leave if I have given birth, adopted a child, or had a child placed in my home through foster care within the year before Sept. 3, 2023?

Yes. New parents can apply for Paid Leave within the first year of the birth of their child, adoption, or foster care placement to bond with the child.

Will employees under the age of 18 be eligible for Paid Leave Oregon benefits?

Yes. There is no age limitation to be eligible for Paid Leave benefits.

If I am already on unpaid leave from my employer for a serious health condition or safe leave before Sept. 3, 2023, can I still apply for Paid Leave Oregon benefits starting Sept. 3, 2023?

Yes. You can apply for Paid Leave benefits as early as Aug. 14, 2023. Your qualifying event needs to happen after Sept. 3, 2023, or it has to be ongoing. For example, if you have surgery in August 2023 but still experience medical complications that are a “serious health condition” after Sept. 3, 2023. You would be eligible to apply for Paid Leave.

New parents can apply for Paid Leave within the first year of the birth of their child, adoption, or foster care placement to bond with the child.

Do I have to use Paid Leave benefits in one block of time? Can I take a day or a week and work between those days or weeks?

You can use your Paid Leave benefits on a consecutive or intermittent schedule. You can’t take paid leave for less than a day. When you take a day of paid leave, you can’t work for any of your employers, even yourself if you are self-employed. Consecutive leave means you take leave from the start to the end date of your leave and don’t work during this time. Intermittent leave means you take days or weeks of leave between the start and end dates of your leave but also work some days or weeks during this time.