Written by a parent, not a doctor. Nothing here is medical advice.

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Maryland program

Paid family leave (starts in 2028)

Maryland has passed paid family leave insurance, but benefits do not begin until January 2028.

What it is

Maryland has passed paid family leave insurance, but benefits do not begin until January 2028.

Hearing that Maryland has paid family leave can be confusing when you need help now. Its insurance program has a future start date. Employer leave, earned sick leave and FMLA need their own review for current time off.

Eligibility rules
  • From 2028 you will need 680 hours of Maryland work in the previous year, from one job or several.
  • Employers include governmental entities with at least one employee, but federal employees do not qualify.
What you get
  • Maryland’s paid family leave insurance starts paying in January 2028, up to 12 weeks a year; nothing is available from it now.
  • Scheduled from January 2028: up to 12 weeks yearly, paying $50–$1,000 a week.
What the help covers
  • The $1,000 weekly maximum is the scheduled launch maximum through December 31, 2028. The program has no waiting or elimination period.
If you decide to apply
  1. Ask human resources which employer leave and earned sick leave are available for time off now.
  2. For future leave, check the Maryland paid-leave program's launch information before planning around a benefit.

Maryland Department of Labor, FAMLI · 410-525-4010 · Official page ↗

After you apply
  • Claims are scheduled to begin with benefits in January 2028. The stated application window is within 60 days before or after leave starts.
Good to know

Future FAMLI payments cannot fill a current income gap. Federal employees are excluded from this program.

Other details
  • From its scheduled January 2028 benefit start, FAMLI includes job-restoration and health-coverage protections under its own rules. Qualifying FMLA leave generally runs at the same time. The program has no elimination period, but approval and payment processing still take time; FAMLI and unemployment cannot pay for the same period. None of this supplies a FAMLI payment in 2026.
Official sources
Ask your social worker

“Since Maryland's paid family leave will not pay yet, what could cover my time off now? Could you help compare employer leave, earned sick leave and FMLA before I decide?”

Why I’m asking: I need a current income plan rather than relying on benefits that have not started.

More background and detailed requirements
Additional program information and published rules

Who does what

The three parts, side by side. The agency decides; nobody on this page does.

You

Nothing now. Know that it does not pay yet.

Your social worker

The hospital social worker can point you at what does pay now.

The care team

Records and letters when the application asks for them.

Who decides
The Maryland Department of Labor, once the programme starts.
Ask HR
“Maryland's paid family leave does not start until 2028. What leave does this employer offer now, and how much earned sick leave do I have?”

How to apply

First step: Use earned sick and safe leave and federal family leave for now.

  1. For now, use earned sick and safe leave and federal family leave instead.
  2. Do not plan a resignation around this; it pays nothing until 2028.

Official application / program page ↗

Where it starts: Nothing to do now. Claims open with the programme in January 2028.

What to gather

  • Nothing yet.

How long: Payments are scheduled to begin in January 2028.

What a yes looks like

Not applicable until 2028.

What a no looks like, and the next move

Not applicable until 2028.

Watch out

  • People will tell you Maryland has paid family leave. It does, on paper, from 2028.
  • Do not plan a resignation around money that is not paying yet.
  • Federal employees are excluded even when it does start.

Dates that change this

2028-01-01: The published launch for benefit payments is January 2028. The exact first payable day was not published.

The numbers and the rules

The arcane layer, kept on purpose. Checked September 11, 2026.

What it is worth

Nothing in 2026. From January 2028: up to 12 weeks a year, between $50 and $1,000 a week, with no waiting period, after 680 hours of Maryland work.

  • $12/year — Weeks of benefits in an application year, once the programme starts
  • $50/week — Minimum weekly benefit once the programme starts
  • $1,000/week — Maximum weekly benefit from launch through December 31, 2028
  • $680 — Maryland work hours required over the four most recent completed quarters
  • $0 — Waiting or elimination period

Legal protection: Twelve weeks of paid, job-protected leave once it starts · No waiting or elimination period · Runs concurrently with eligible federal family leave

What it costs the family: None.

The eligibility facts, as published

Start
Benefits begin January 2028
Hours
At least 680 hours in Maryland during the four reported calendar quarters before the earlier of a complete claim or the start of leave; hours can combine across employers.
Employer
Employers include governmental entities with at least one employee; federal employees do not qualify
Application window
Within 60 days before or after the leave starts

The trap: Do not confuse this with earned sick and safe leave, which exists now. This is the future insurance programme.

Where I read this

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