New survey results show that a majority of Marylanders would disagree with postponing the start date of an incoming paid family and medical leave program.(Close-up of pregnant patient with saline drip. (Photo by skaman306/Moment Royalty-free)
More than half of Maryland voters said they would oppose another delay in the start of the state’s paid family and medical leave program, according to a poll released Tuesday.
But there’s every indication that a delay is coming, another victim of the state’s budget woes and the ongoing uncertainty coming out of Washington.
The OpinionWorks poll said 55% of those surveyed said the state should stick to the scheduled July start of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) program, with benefits available beginning in 2026. But the survey also found that 30% of people would be OK delaying the program until 2028, the current plan from the Moore administration.
Overall, 82% of Marylanders support the FAMLI program as a concept, with 51% strongly supporting it, while about 12% said they oppose it and 6% were undecided.
“I think these numbers show that Marylanders have always been extraordinarily supportive … that support hasn’t decreased over the time that we’ve been waiting, from passage of the legislation in 2022 to now,” said Lisa Klingenmaier, manager of the Time to Care Coalition. “Marylanders want this program — they’ve been waiting.”
Amid federal uncertainties, state officials propose delaying paid family leave — again
But they will likely have to wait some more.
Faced with a $3 billion budget shortfall and rapid-fire policy decisions from the Trump administration, Maryland officials have suggested pushing the start date for FAMLI back by 18 months, meaning that payroll collections for the benefit would begin Jan. 1, 2027, and benefits would become available on Jan. 1, 2028.
Maryland Labor Secretary Portia Wu has cited “uncertainty” as a reason to delay the program again — to help the state, employers and workers prepare amid “huge instability and uncertainty” from the Trump administration.
“We just feel like this is the prudent thing to. We’re responsible for delivering a system that is going to be effective for workers,” Wu said in February. “We know to stand that up, it’s going to take some time … Federal funding freezes, the federal employee impact — all of those have many, many ripple effects here in Maryland.”
Delaying the program yet again will require legislation. State officials said they have already sent language to the Senate Finance Committee and House Economic Matters Committee, which will take “the lead on next steps,” a Labor Department spokesperson said in a recent email.
It would not be the first delay for the program. The 2022 Time to Care Act was vetoed by then-Gov. Larry Hogan (R), whose veto was overridden by the General Assembly. It was supposed to start issuing benefits by January of this year, but that was postponed for a year by lawmakers.
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The poll found that 88% of voters support the idea of paid family and medical leave. Support drops slightly when there’s a dollar amount attached: About 69% said they would support the program if it cost workers $3 to $6 a week to fund, although just 34% would strongly support it. About 21% said they would oppose the program, while 10% were unsure.
Voters were asked “during a time of uncertainty, is it more important or less important for workers to have access to a family and medical leave program?” to which 78% of respondents said it was “more important” with 10% saying it was less important.
‘Crises don’t wait for convenience’
But advocates say that paid family leave is needed now more than ever.
The poll reports that 45% of Marylanders know someone who has been affected by federal cutbacks, and 55% believe the Moore administration and the legislature should be doing more to protect Maryland against negative effects from those cutbacks.
“Life is full of uncertainties, that is a constant, and crises don’t wait for convenience,” Klingenmaier said. “Over those 18 months, if that program is to be delayed, Marylanders will be diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses … They will welcome children into their homes.
“And I think what this data shows is that overwhelmingly Marylanders want to live in a state where, when you need time to care … you’re not going to lose your income or your home or your livelihood,” she said. “That’s the certainty we need. We’re never going to have the perfect storm of budgets and administration to wait to implement this program.”
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