Asante to offer paid leave for employees later next year

Beginning September 2023, Paid Leave Oregon will become available to Oregon employees, including Oregon employees at Asante.

The new law will provide paid leave benefits for a variety of reasons, including the birth or adoption of a child, your own or a family member’s serious health condition or for impacts of sexual assault, domestic violence, harassment or stalking. This program is made possible through collaborative funding by Asante and our employees via payroll deductions.

Asante is required by law to participate in Paid Leave Oregon. However, under state law employers are permitted to either participate in the state-run plan or offer a private plan option that provides equal pay and benefits.

The Asante leadership team has carefully considered the most advantageous approach for our employees and has elected to participate in Paid Leave Oregon through a fully insured private plan administered by our selected partner, MetLife.

This option will result in a better experience for our employees and potentially faster turnaround times for benefits to be paid. A private plan also allows Asante to lean on the expertise of MetLife, which has years of experience managing paid leave programs.

Significantly, a private plan option means our employees won’t have to contribute immediately to the state-required employee payroll tax, which takes effect on Jan. 1. Asante’s equivalent plan effectively delays employee payroll deduction contributions until September of 2023.

FAQs

Who pays for Paid Leave Oregon?

Employees will contribute to our Paid Leave Oregon equivalent plan through a payroll deduction. Employees contribute 60% of the set contribution rate, and Asante covers the remaining 40%.

For 2023, the set contribution rate is 1% of up to $132,900 in earned wages. Your individual employee contribution rate for 2023 will be .6% of earned wages up to $132,900 or 60% of 1%. For example, if you made $1,000 in wages, you would see a $6 payroll deduction for this paycheck. Asante will deduct your portion of the contribution rate from your paycheck beginning in September 2023. In return for this payroll deduction, all qualified Asante employees will have access to the benefits of this program once it goes live on Sept. 3, 2023.

Who is eligible for Paid Leave Oregon benefits and how much does it pay?

Employees who have earned at least $1,000 in the prior year through any employment in Oregon may qualify for up to 12 weeks of paid family, medical or safe leave in a benefit year. Employees on leave related to pregnancy may qualify for up to 14 weeks of leave in a benefit year.

While the employee is on leave, Paid Leave Oregon pays a percentage of wages. Benefit amounts depend on what an employee has earned in the prior year. The program is designed to provide higher income replacements to lower-income earners, with some receiving as much as 100% income replacement through this program.

How does this affect my ETO, ESDP and short-term disability?

Paid Leave Oregon will not replace any of the paid leave and time-off benefits currently available to Asante employees. Employees who receive benefits through Paid Leave Oregon will be able to supplement those benefits through Asante’s ESDP, ETO and STD programs. They may receive up to 100% income replacement while on leave through a combination of available paid leave programs.

Where can I get more information about Paid Leave Oregon?

Visit paidleave.oregon.gov or email the Asante HR benefits team at my**************@as****.org.