Rhode Island Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI)

Rhode Island was a pioneer in providing paid leave, establishing Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) in 1942 and becoming the first state to offer Temporary Caregiver Insurance (TCI) in 2014. Together, these programs provide a comprehensive system of wage replacement for workers facing health and family challenges.

TDI provides up to 30 weeks of partial wage replacement for workers who cannot work due to their own non-work-related illness or injury, including mental health conditions. TCI provides up to 7 weeks of benefits in 2025 (increasing to 8 weeks in 2026) to bond with a new child or care for a seriously ill family member. Both programs are funded entirely through employee payroll deductions and cover virtually all workers regardless of employer size. The 2026 employee contribution rate is 1.1% of wages (taxable wage base: $100,000). The weekly benefit is approximately 4.62% of wages in your highest-earning base period quarter. The maximum weekly benefit is $1,103 (effective July 2025), with an additional dependency allowance of up to $386 for up to 5 dependent children. To qualify, you must be unable to work for at least 7 consecutive days (eligibility threshold). Once you qualify, benefits are paid from day one of your disability or caregiving (no payment waiting period).

Covered family members under TCI include your child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, and (effective January 2026) sibling. Starting in 2027, grandchildren and designated "care recipients" will also be covered.

TCI includes its own job protection: employers must reinstate employees to their previous or equivalent position after TCI leave, regardless of employer size. TDI does not have independent job protection.

Additional job protection under the Rhode Island Parental and Family Medical Leave Act (RIPFMLA) applies to private employers with 50 or more employees and municipal employers with 30 or more employees, providing up to 13 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 24-month period. RIPFMLA requires 12 consecutive months of employment and at least 1,560 hours worked. Your employer must maintain health insurance during TCI and RIPFMLA leave. Even for smaller employers, TDI and TCI wage replacement benefits remain available.

Rhode Island enforces anti-discrimination protections through the Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA), which prohibits disability discrimination, including mental health conditions, for employers with 4 or more employees. The Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights (RICHR) investigates complaints. Rhode Island also requires mental health parity in insurance coverage.