Maryland FAMLI: paid family leave to come
Maryland has passed a family and medical leave insurance program, but it pays nothing in 2026 and will not until January 1, 2028. This page sets out the dates and what a Maryland worker can use meanwhile.
Maryland, bonding with a new child
$0
no state program pays for this
| State programs | Maryland FAMLI (to come) |
| What may still pay | employer leave policy, if any |
The federal FMLA protects the job of eligible workers for up to 12 weeks, unpaid.
| Program | A week | Weeks | Most in total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | $430 | 26 weeks | $11,180 |
| Maryland FAMLI | to come, January 1, 2028 |
Compiled by Radif Partners · How the estimates are built · state laws and agency pages read October 20, 2026
Maryland's Family and Medical Leave Insurance program, FAMLI, is law but not yet running. According to the state's program page, contributions begin on January 1, 2027, employers start filing quarterly wage and hour reports in April 2027, and benefits become available on January 1, 2028. A worker will qualify after at least 680 hours in a position located in Maryland over four quarters. The weekly benefit amount, the replacement rate and the premium split have not been published on the pages read for this site, so no calculator can estimate a FAMLI check yet, and this site does not guess one. Until January 1, 2028, a Maryland worker who stops working to bond with a child, care for a relative or recover from an illness has no state benefit: pay comes only from an employer policy, accrued leave or a private disability plan. Job protection may come from the federal FMLA for eligible workers. Across the border, Delaware and the District of Columbia already pay.
The timeline
The Maryland Department of Labor's FAMLI Division gives three dates (Maryland FAMLI, about the program):
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Contributions begin | January 1, 2027 |
| First quarterly wage and hour reports | April 2027 |
| Benefits become available | January 1, 2028 |
Between the first two dates, nothing changes for workers except a new deduction on the pay stub once contributions begin. A child born before January 1, 2028 gives no right to a FAMLI benefit: the program pays for leave from January 1, 2028, not for events before it.
Who will qualify
The program will cover workers who have worked at least 680 hours in a position localized in Maryland over four quarters. That is a lower bar than the federal FMLA, which asks for more hours with a single employer, so many part-time workers who have no FMLA protection will qualify. The state has not yet published how the weeks will be divided between reasons, which is why this page gives no week counts.
What pays in Maryland until then
For now, a Maryland worker on leave relies on what the employer offers: paid sick leave, vacation, short-term disability insurance bought through work, or a paid parental policy. The federal FMLA can protect the job of an eligible worker for up to twelve weeks, but it pays nothing. The FMLA and paid leave page lists who is eligible. Unemployment does not pay during a leave from a job you still hold; it is for people who lost work and can take a new job, as the Maryland unemployment page explains.
The calculator above shows the Maryland situation for any reason. Once the state publishes the benefit formula, it will be added to this site's data and the calculator will give an amount.
What neighbors pay today
Delaware Paid Leave, bonding with a new child
$900
| Weekly benefit: program maximum | $900 |
| Average weekly wage used | $1,154 |
| Weeks paid (up to 12 weeks for this reason) | 12 weeks |
| Total for this leave | $10,800 |
Neighbors already paying
A person who lives in Maryland but works in Delaware or the District of Columbia should check with the program where the work is done, since coverage follows the job there. Delaware Paid Leave pays 80 % of wages up to $900 a week, about $900 on $60,000 a year. DC Paid Family Leave pays up to $1,100, about $1,019 at the same pay, and is funded by employers alone. The paid family leave comparison lists every state.
Maryland Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI): the 2026 figures
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Benefit rule | to come: contributions from January 1, 2027, benefits from January 1, 2028; weekly amounts not yet published |
| Benefits start | January 1, 2028 |
| Employee premium, 2026 | none |