Delaware Paid Leave vs. getting paid as a family caregiver

If your mom or dad needs more help, you may have seen two things online: "Delaware Paid Leave" and "get paid to care for a family member." They sound alike, but they're separate programs that solve different problems. Here's how each works, and how some families use both.

What is Delaware Paid Leave?

Delaware Paid Leave is a state insurance program that replaces part of your wages while you take time off from your own job. Workers could start filing claims on January 1, 2026. You can use it for a new child, your own serious illness, or caring for a family member with a serious health condition. Then you go back to work.

Delaware Paid Leave pays up to 80% of your average weekly wages, up to $900 a week in 2026.

It's paid for by contributions through your employer. Claims go through Delaware LaborFirst, the Department of Labor's system for Paid Leave.

Can I use Delaware Paid Leave to care for a parent?

Yes, if your parent has a serious health condition and you qualify. Delaware's family caregiving leave covers caring for a parent, a child, or a spouse. It doesn't cover parents-in-law, siblings, or other relatives.

Family caregiving leave is limited to 6 weeks in a 24-month period. That 6 weeks is shared with leave for your own serious illness and military family needs. In general, you need:

• 12 months with your current employer
• At least 1,250 hours worked in the past 12 months
• An employer with 25 or more employees. Smaller employers with 10 to 24 employees only have to offer parental leave.

When you can, tell your employer 30 days ahead. If you can't plan ahead, tell them as soon as you can.

What is a paid family caregiver in Delaware?

A paid family caregiver is a relative who's hired to care for a loved one at home. In Delaware, this works through Medicaid long-term care. When your loved one qualifies, their Medicaid plan approves hours of care, and an agency like Reliable Aid can hire you as their caregiver.

It isn't time off from a job. It is a job. You're paid for the approved hours you work, and it can last as long as your loved one needs care and stays eligible. In our experience, spouses can be paid caregivers too, with all three Delaware Medicaid plans.

See how paid family caregiving works, step by step.

Side by side

	Delaware Paid Leave	Paid family caregiver
What it is	Partial pay while you're off work	A caregiving job
Who pays	The state Paid Leave program	Delaware Medicaid long-term care, through an agency
Who has to qualify	You, through your job	The person who needs care, through Medicaid
Which relatives	Parent, child, or spouse	Depends on the Medicaid plan's rules. Often adult children, other relatives, or spouses.
How long	Up to 6 weeks of caregiving leave in 24 months	As long as care is approved
How to start	Apply through Delaware LaborFirst	Call the Aging and Disability Resource Center or call us

Can I use both?

Yes, and it can make sense. Here's one way it can work:

1. Your dad comes home from the hospital and needs a lot of help.
2. You take Delaware Paid Leave from your job to care for him for a few weeks.
3. While you're on leave, you apply for Delaware Medicaid long-term care for him. See how Medicaid home care works.
4. Once he's approved and his plan approves hours, Reliable Aid can hire you as his paid caregiver.

Medicaid applications take time, so start early. A short Paid Leave stretch can give you room to get it moving.

What if neither one fits?

Not everyone qualifies for either program. Maybe your job isn't covered, or your parent doesn't qualify for Medicaid long-term care yet. You still have options. Some families hire a caregiver privately for a few hours a week. Others use respite care so the main family caregiver can work or rest. The Delaware Aging and Disability Resource Center can talk through other programs at 1-800-223-9074.

How Reliable Aid helps

We hire family members as paid caregivers when their loved one qualifies for Delaware Medicaid long-term care. We work with all three Delaware Medicaid plans. If your loved one hasn't applied yet, we'll explain the steps and help you get documents in.

Call (302) 689-3240 to talk it through. The call is free. You can also visit our Dover office.