Department of Budget and Management

Starting on July 1, 2026, the Maryland State Employee Paid Family and Medical Leave program (PFML) will provide up to 12 weeks of job-protected paid leave every 12 months. PFML covers important qualifying life events such as welcoming a new child, managing a serious health condition, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or addressing family needs related to a uniformed service member’s deployment.

All current State employees in the Executive Branch (permanent, temporary, and contractual) are eligible for PFML. There is no waiting period -- you are eligible to apply starting the first day of your State service – and this benefit is free to all employees. There is no “buy-in”, payroll deduction, or other cost to you for PFML.

The information on this page applies only to employees in units of the Executive Branch of State government that are part of the State Personnel Management System (SPMS). Employees in units of the Executive Branch with an independent personnel system should refer to the regulations and guidance provided by their respective personnel systems on how PFML is being implemented.

You can apply for benefits by submitting the application forms found in the 'PFML Forms' section to your HR department. You can submit your application up to 60 days before or after the first date of leave needed (if you know you will need to take leave ahead of time, you must let your HR team know in writing at least 30 days before you need to start your leave). You should hear back from your agency HR with a decision on your application within five working days.

You can take your 12 weeks of PFML in increments as small as four hours. While out on PFML, you will continue to earn your regular salary, earn leave, and keep your health and other benefits.

Qualifying Events

Starting July 1, 2026, workers are able to take time off for a “qualifying event.” These are defined as:

• Care and bonding of your new child:
  • Caring for or bonding with your newborn during the first year after birth; or
  • Caring for or bonding with a child placed with you through adoption, foster care, or kinship care during the first year after placement.
• Your own serious health condition:
  • Taking time off for a serious health condition that prevents you from doing your job.
• Caring for a family member:
  • Providing care for a family member with a serious health condition.
• Caring for a service member:
  • Providing care for an individual in uniformed service who has a serious health condition caused by their service and for whom you are the next of kin.
• Uniformed service family needs:
  • Taking time off to manage needs that arise from a family member’s deployment including, but not limited to:
    • Childcare;
    • Attending family support programs;
    • Counseling in certain circumstances; or
    • To attend matters relating to the death of a service member while on an active duty status.

Family Members

PFML defines a “family member” as:

• Your child: includes biological, adopted, stepchild, foster, a child you have legal or physical custody or guardianship of, or a child for whom you stand in loco parentis regardless of their age.
• Your parent: includes biological, adoptive, foster, stepparents, or in-laws as well as anyone who acted as a parent to you or your spouse during childhood.
• Your spouse or domestic partner.
• Your sibling: includes biological, adopted, foster, or step-siblings.
• Your grandparent or grandchild: includes biological, adopted, foster, or step-grandparents or grandchildren.
• Your legal guardian or the ward of you or your spouse – someone you or your spouse are legally responsible for or who is legally responsible for you.

Join an Information Session

Learn all about the new PFML benefit! The Office of Personnel Services and Benefits (OPSB) will host seven one-hour live information sessions for staff starting June 5. These sessions will include a program overview and a Q&A period. Space is limited and all sessions cover the same information so please only attend one.

Find details on how to join these sessions through SPS/Workday Learning. Just log into Workday and search LRN: PFML to reach the info and select a session.