Rhode Island Maternity Leave Calculator

Rhode Island employers don't pay you directly during TDI or TCI leave — but Rhode Island's state-administered TDI and TCI programs pay you through the 1.1% employee-only payroll contribution. For 2026, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,103 (or up to $1,489 with 5 dependents through the 7%-per-dependent allowance). The replacement formula is 4.62% of wages in the highest quarter of your base period — about 60% of your weekly wages. A typical $80,000 earner receives about $924/week. A $25,000 earner receives about $289/week. The cap binds around $95,000 in annual wages (evenly distributed).

Rhode Island has two independent state programs. TDI (Temporary Disability Insurance) is the oldest state TDI program in the US, in continuous operation since 1942. It covers your own serious health condition (including pregnancy and childbirth recovery) for up to 30 weeks per benefit year — the most generous medical-leave cap in the country. TCI (Temporary Caregiver Insurance) covers bonding with a new child or caring for a family member for up to 8 weeks per benefit year (expanded from 7 effective Jan 1, 2026). The two are completely independent — no combined cap — so a birthing parent can use full TDI medical recovery plus 8-week TCI bonding totaling up to 38 weeks if certified. Both use the same 4.62%-of-highest-quarter formula and same $1,103 weekly cap. You file separate claims for each.

TDI and TCI pay 4.62% of your wages in the highest quarter of your base period (~60% of your weekly wages, assuming even quarterly distribution). Capped at $1,103/week base in 2026. With a dependent allowance of 7% per dependent (minimum $20 each) up to 5 dependents, the maximum rises to $1,489/week. Examples: $25k earner → ~$289/week. $50k earner → ~$578/week. $80k earner → ~$924/week. $200k earner → capped at $1,103/week. Total benefit cap is 36% of total base period wages. The replacement rate will rise to 5.38% (effective ~70%) in 2027.

Rhode Island TCI (the bonding leg) was capped at 6 weeks when the program launched in 2014, expanded to 7 weeks in 2024, and expanded again to 8 weeks effective January 1, 2026. Compared to the 12-week PFL standard in California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington, Connecticut, Minnesota, Colorado, and Oregon, RI's 8 weeks is shorter — bonding leave is the binding constraint for most RI birthing parents. The good news: TDI (medical) is independent of TCI, with a generous 30-week cap. A typical vaginal birthing parent gets 4 pre-birth + 6 recovery TDI + 8 TCI = 18 weeks paid. A C-section parent gets 4 + 8 + 8 = 20 weeks paid.

Yes, but it's narrower than every other state with paid family leave. The Rhode Island Parental and Family Medical Leave Act (PFMLA) provides 13 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in any 24-month period — but only at employers with 50+ employees, only for workers with 12+ months tenure and 30+ hours/week average (≈1,560 hours/year). These thresholds are essentially identical to federal FMLA. Workers at smaller RI employers (or shorter-tenured) collect TDI/TCI benefits but have NO state job protection layer. This is structurally weaker than Connecticut (1+ employees, 90 days), Minnesota (1+ employees, 90 days), Oregon (1+ employees, 90 days), Colorado (1+ employees, 180 days), or Washington (25+ employees, 6 months under HB 1213). Confirm your employer size and tenure with HR before relying on RI PFMLA.

Rhode Island TDI and TCI are 100% employee-funded through a 1.1% payroll contribution (one of only three state PFML programs that's fully employee-funded, alongside California and Connecticut). The contribution applies to wages up to RI's TDI taxable wage ceiling of $100,000 for 2026 — much lower than the Federal Social Security cap of $184,500. Maximum annual employee contribution is $1,100 (= 1.1% × $100,000). Employers have no contribution requirement. RI is also the only state that does not allow employer equivalent-plan opt-out — TDI/TCI is a mandatory state program.

Technically there's a 7-day minimum out-of-work requirement before you can file a TDI or TCI claim. However, pay is retroactive from day 1 once the claim is approved. From the worker's perspective, you receive pay for every week of approved leave including the first 7 days. Functionally, RI has no waiting period — it's a claim-filing threshold rather than an unpaid period. This is similar to CT, CO, MN, and OR (all of which have no waiting period) and contrasts with how Massachusetts and Washington handle their 7-day waits (which truly don't pay for the first week).