News and Information

State Releases Paid Family Leave Program Impact Study

The State of Hawaii Legislative Reference Bureau recently released a Paid Family Leave (PFL) Program Impact Study, conducted as a sunrise analysis as directed by Act 109, passed in the 2018 Legislative Session. The report, prepared by an independent contractor, looked at:

• PFL background, evolution and summary of current state programs
• Comparative analysis of the seven state paid leave models (California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington) in place at the time of the request, including a review of temporary disability insurance (TDI) usage
• Hawaii-based cost breakdowns for each of the seven state-specific models
• Options for compliance and enforcement of a proposed paid family leave program

The report considered plan structure, funding, administration and implementation timeline. Among the challenges identified: understanding how paid leave laws coordinate with other benefit plans (e.g., sick leave, disability, worker’s compensation) or multiple paid leave laws, if any employer has employees in more than one state. Read the full report here.