Rhode Island: Increased Benefits for Temporary Disability and Temporary Caregivers
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APPLIES TO All Employers with Employees in RI |
EFFECTIVE January 1, 2025 |
QUESTIONS? Contact HR On-Call |
Quick Look
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Discussion
Effective January 1, 2025, HB 7171 increases benefits under Rhode Island’s temporary disability and temporary caregiver programs. Under the temporary disability insurance program, a dependent’s allowance is increased from $10.00 to $20.00 or seven percent of the individual’s weekly benefit rate. The dependent allowance is paid for each of the claimant’s children, including adopted and stepchildren or that individual’s court-appointed wards who, at the beginning of the individual’s benefit year, is under eighteen (18) years of age and who is at that time in fact dependent on that individual.
In addition, temporary caregiver benefits are increased to a maximum of 7 weeks in a benefit year. An additional increase occurs on January 1, 2026 to a maximum of 8 weeks in a benefit year. The current maximum is 6 weeks. Temporary caregiver benefits can be taken for the purpose of bonding with a newborn child or a child newly placed for adoption or foster care with the employee or domestic partner; or caring for a child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, spouse, or domestic partner, who has a serious health condition. Employers should note that employees cannot file for both temporary caregiver benefits and temporary disability benefits for the same purpose.
Action Items
- Review the bill here.
- Update leave policies to reflect the new requirements.
- Have appropriate personnel trained on the requirements.
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