Time for family

If your employer has an equivalent plan, you must apply under that plan instead of participating in the state’s paid leave plan. Ask your employer for instructions on how to apply. 

To apply for benefits under the state plan (Paid Leave Oregon), follow these steps:

Step 1: Have your documents ready

You’ll need at least 1 of the following for each family leave request:

Bonding leave related to birth

• Paid Leave Oregon Verification of Birth Form
• Your child’s official state-issued birth certificate
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
• A voluntary acknowledgment of paternity signed and witnessed by a hospital representative and issued within five days of your child’s birth
• A document from your child’s or the parent’s (who was pregnant) health care provider. The document must list you as a parent of the child even if you were not pregnant.
• Copy of court order or letter from a placement agency

NOTE: The best document to use before your child is born is our Verification of Birth Form or a document that includes the following information.

The document supporting your leave must include the following:

• Your first and last name as parent or guardian of the child after birth.
• Date or expected date of the child’s birth.
• Health care provider’s name, signature, and contact information
• Date the document was signed (must be within 60 days of the leave start date).
• Only for an additional two weeks of pregnancy leave: Documentation that shows you are the parent who is pregnant or gave birth in the year before the start of your leave

Bonding leave related to placement through adoption or foster care

• A copy of a court order that verifies your child’s initial placement 
• A letter signed by the attorney representing you as the foster or adoptive parent that confirms your child’s placement 
• A document from the foster care, adoption agency, or social worker that confirms your child’s placement 
• A document from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that confirms your child’s placement

If a government agency didn’t issue the document supporting your leave, the document must include the following information about the person issuing the document:

• First and last name
• Title or specialization
• Contact information
• Handwritten or electronic signature
• Date signed (must be within 60 days of the leave start date)

Family leave to care for a family member

• Paid Leave Verification of Serious Health Condition Form
• Oregon and Federal Family and Medical Leave Health Care Provider  Certification
• Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee’s Serious Health Condition under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Other documentation from a health care provider that includes the following:
  • Your name
  • Your family member’s name and contact information
  • A short description or diagnosis of your family member’s serious health condition that includes:
    • The start date and expected end date of your leave or an explanation that the condition is chronic or permanent
    • A description of how often the condition impacts your family member if you are taking intermittent leave (intermittent leave is when you take some leave days and work some days during your leave)

Any other documentation supporting your leave that your health care provider gives you must include the following information:

• Name and title of the health care provider
• License area or area of practice
• Business name, address, and phone number
• Handwritten or electronic signature

The document supporting your leave must also include the date your health care provider signed it (must be within 60 days of the leave start date).

Step 2: Give notice to your employer

• For planned leave: If you know you will need to use Paid Leave, you must let your employer know at least 30 days before starting your leave.
• For unexpected leave: If you need to take leave unexpectedly, you must tell your employer (doesn’t have to be in writing) within 24 hours of starting your leave. You must give your employer written notice within 3 days after starting your leave. If you don’t give written notice to your employer, we may reduce your first weekly benefit payment by 25%.

Step 3: Apply for benefits

Use Frances Online to apply for benefits.

Frances Online is the quickest and easiest way to apply for Paid Leave. You can check your account 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you can’t access Frances Online, send us a paper application or call us at 833-854-0166. It may take longer for you to receive a response if you send a paper application.

At the earliest, you can send your application 30 days before you start your leave. At the latest, you can send it 30 days after you start your leave.

Have questions? Visit our commonly asked questions about Frances Online.

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