The Oregon Employment Department (OED) is now accepting equivalent plan applications and signed declarations of intent for the Paid Leave Oregon program. A number of new equivalent plan resources are now available to employers.
- Equivalent Plan Guidebook
- Frances Online
- Equivalent Plan Application (Printable)
- Declaration of Intent (Printable)
Equivalent plan applications and declarations of intent may only be submitted online or by mail. Employers may access the online application through the Frances Online system; if an employer has not yet accessed Frances Online, they will need to register to gain access to the application. When submitting an application, employers must include information about the employer, a copy of either the employer-administered equivalent plan or the insurance policy, a completed questionnaire, and a $250 application fee. Additionally, applications for employer-administered plans must include proof of solvency. Applications for fully insured plans will need to include information about the insurance policy and carrier.
It's also worth noting that OED has stated that all insurance products must be approved by the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) before they may be marketed, including the Paid Leave Oregon equivalent plan products. It is possible that this extra step will cause a delay for third party providers and could potentially cause a delay for employers who are looking to purchase a fully-insured plan. Further, there is not much information on how third party providers will demonstrate their policies meet the equivalent plan requirements or what that application process will look like. Cascade is monitoring this and will provide more details once available.
The Oregon Employment Department anticipates that the approval process will take up to 30 days. Declarations of intent must be submitted by November 30, 2022. Equivalent Plan Applications submitted by November 30, 2022, if approved, will be exempt from paying contributions into the state paid leave program beginning January 1, 2023. All equivalent plan applications must be submitted by May 31, 2023, to have an effective date of September 3, 2023.
For more information and FAQs about Paid Leave Oregon, be sure to visit our member website.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us.