Whether your business is based in Idaho or you employ remote workers in The Gem State, it’s important to understand which leave protections apply to your workforce.
Paid family and medical leave gives employees partial wage replacement during bonding, caregiving, and medical leaves. Unpaid leave, on the other hand, gives employees time off—and occasionally job protection—for the same reasons, but no wage replacement.
In this guide, you’ll learn what Idaho offers for state leave, how to comply with federal leave guidelines, and what the benefits of paid family leave actually are.
Does Idaho have paid family leave?
Idaho does not have a state-mandated program for private-sector workers. However, the state does offer bare-bones paid parental leave to eligible state employees.
The Families First Act, signed in 2020 by Governor Brad Little, gave eligible state employees eight weeks of paid time off after the birth or adoption of a child. But the act was recently amended: as of July 1, 2026, eligible state employees will receive only two weeks of paid parental leave.
Does Idaho have paid disability leave?
Idaho doesn’t have a state-mandated disability insurance program, nor does it require employers to provide employees with any paid sick leave (though state government employees receive some disability coverage).
Idaho employees who need time off work to recover from a non-work-related injury or illness have to use accrued paid time off (PTO) from their employer, or take unpaid federal leave if they qualify.
How does federal leave work in Idaho?
Idaho employers with 50 or more employees (working within a 75-mile radius) are subject to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA requires covered employers to give eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to:
Care for and bond with a new child, including newborn, adopted, and fostered children
Care for a family member with a serious health condition, including spouses, children, and parents
Manage a serious personal health condition
Manage affairs when a family member, including a spouse, child, or parent, is on or called to active duty
Who qualifies for FMLA leave?
To qualify for FMLA leave, your employees have to:
Need time off for one of the qualifying reasons above
Have worked for you for at least one year (consecutively or non-consecutively)
Have over 1,250 hours of service (roughly 25 hours a week) in the 12 months immediately before leave begins
What are my employer responsibilities under FMLA?
If you employ 50 or more people who work within a 75-mile radius of your business, you’re subject to FMLA rules. To avoid civil money penalties and wrongful leave denial claims from your employees, you need to do the following:
1. Notify employees about their leave rights
You have to give two separate leave notices to employees right away:
An FMLA poster in a highly trafficked spot in your workplace. The poster explains which situations qualify for FMLA leave, who’s eligible to take leave, which protections employees receive during leave, and how employees can file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division.
A written notice to FMLA-eligible employees. This can take the form of an email, physical handout, or write-up in your workplace handbook; it should explain how and when employees can request a leave.
2. Pass out official FMLA notices
Once an employee requests a leave, you have two additional notices to give:
Rights and Responsibilities Notice (due within five days of your employee’s request): This covers when your employees’ leave can take place, and the tentative start and return dates; your employee’s right to job protection, your employee’s right to substitute PTO for FMLA leave (and if you’ll require it); your employee’s right to receive continued health insurance; whether or not your employee needs to provide certification for the leave.
Designation Notice (due before your employee takes leave): This confirms that your employee’s requested leave counts as official FMLA leave.
3. Continue providing health insurance and protect your employee’s job
While your employees are on leave, you have two important legal obligations:
Continue paying your portion of employees’ health insurance premiums (if you currently offer them)
Reinstate employees to their jobs as soon as they’re back from leave
4. Keep critical records
Make sure you hold onto the following documentation for at least three years:
Payroll receipts
Paystubs
Official employee requests for leave
Documentation of leave start and end dates
Copies of FMLA notices
The importance of offering paid leave
Providing your employees with some degree of paid family and medical leave, however basic, isn’t just in service to them—it’s also in service to you. It’s an investment in your business’s long-term success. Here’s what paid family leave can do:
For your employees
Paid family leave gives workers options. More options mean more security and less stress. When employees have time and financial support from their employers to navigate big life changes, they can return to work in a healthier, more stable place, prepared for the energy and commitment their job demands.
Without paid family or disability leave, employees have to use up their accrued PTO, take unpaid leave (if they qualify and can afford it), or quit their jobs entirely.
For your business
When you offer paid family leave to your workforce, you’ll see benefits across the board. When employees are happier in their jobs, they’re more likely to engage in their work and perform at a higher level. Better-performing employees translate to deeper customer connections, higher sales, and more efficient operations.
From a workforce management perspective, offering paid leave also keeps your employee retention rates high—and facilitates recruitment. It’s easier to stand out and attract great job candidates with a benefits package that includes paid leave.
The paid family leave details to consider
Creating a paid family and medical leave policy might seem intimidating, but it’s totally doable. All it takes to start is some reflection and research to hammer out the details. You’ll need to decide:
Qualifying leave situations, like having a child, taking care of a family member, or managing a personal health condition
How many weeks employees can take paid leave, and whether or not they can take unpaid leave afterward (eight weeks is a good minimum to aim for)
How much wage replacement you’ll provide (most state programs do 50-90% of an employee’s average weekly wage)
How you’ll pay for leave, whether you’ll pay out of pocket or purchase leave insurance and require employees to split the premium
The eligibility requirements for leave, like length of work service (hot tip: aim for inclusivity with your policy, making it applicable to everyone regardless of their seniority at your business, gender, or family structure)
How and when employees can request a leave
Whether or not employees need to provide certification for their leave
What protections employees will be afforded during leave (e.g., job protection through FMLA or continued health insurance)
What reasonable accommodations you’ll provide when employees return from leave
Idaho business resources
For more Idaho-specific business support, bookmark our Gusto guides to:
