Program Description
The Rhode Island Paid Family Leave Act established the Temporary Caregiver Insurance Program to provide individuals up to 6 weeks of paid benefits during a 12-month period to care for a seriously ill loved one, such as an aging parent or in-law. As of 2024, caregivers are paid up to a maximum of $1,043 per week.
This program ensures that working families have financial support when they need to take time off work to care for a seriously ill family member. According to law, this program does not require an employer to hold an individual’s current employment when a leave is taken, but a comparable position must be offered following one’s leave.
The Temporary Caregiver Insurance Program is administered through the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. Funding comes from payroll deductions.
Eligibility Guidelines
Residency Requirements
Applicants must be legal Rhode Island residents to participate in the Temporary Caregiver Insurance program. However, it is not a requirement that the individual to whom they will be providing care also be a state resident. This means the applicant can leave the state to care for a loved one in another state.
Employment Requirements
Applicants must be employed in the state of Rhode Island. All individuals working in the private sector and most public employees are eligible provided they meet the financial requirements. In 2024, applicants must have earned a minimum of $16,800 in the year preceding their leave. While this amount is the minimum they must have earned, there is no maximum income limit on eligibility. Note that these financial requirements have been simplified to allow for a quicker understanding.
Relationship Requirements
The individual receiving care must be related to the individual taking leave to provide care by one of the following relations:
- Parent
- Mother-in-law
- Father-in-law
- Grandparent
- Child
- Spouse
- Domestic partner
Medical Requirements
The care recipient must have a medical condition that requires care, as documented by a physician.
Benefits and Services
The TCI program provides up to 6 weeks of financial wage support during a 12-month period for a caregiver to provide care for a relative. For 2024, participants can receive up to $1,043 a week in financial assistance as a replacement for their current employment wages or salary.
The actual amount is calculated by multiplying their highest quarter (3 months) of earnings during the previous year by 4.62%. The minimum weekly benefit amount is $130.
Applicants who have children under 18 years of age may be eligible to receive a higher amount.
How to Apply / Learn More
Applicants must apply for TCI benefits during the first 30 days after their first day of leave is taken. They must provide detailed medical information that their parent or loved one has a serious condition that requires their care.
For more information on TCI, call 401-462-8420, or visit the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training website. One can also apply online here.
Did You Know? Under Rhode Island Medicaid’s Comprehensive Demonstration Waiver, family members can work as paid caregivers for an indefinite period of time. They are not limited to only 6 weeks as they are under this program.
