Assistance grants
Learn about support for small employers who choose to pay into the program.
How assistance grants can help
As a small employer, with fewer than 25 employees, you can get financial help to hire a temporary replacement employee or to help with significant wage‑related costs — like overtime or training — while your permanent employee is on leave. You may qualify for a grant up to 10 times per year.
If Paid Leave approves your grant, you will need to pay the employer contribution for two years after Paid Leave awards you a grant.How to apply
You can apply for assistance grants in Frances Online starting Sept. 3, 2023.
What’s Frances Online?
Frances Online is Oregon’s payroll reporting site. It replaced the Oregon Payroll Reporting System (OPRS) and the Employer Account Access (EAA) portal.
Frances Online is the quickest and easiest way to apply for assistance grants. You can answer questions from Paid Leave and check the status of your application or payments. If you can’t access Frances Online, send us a paper application. It may take longer for you to receive a response.
What do I need to do to receive an assistance grant?
As a small employer with fewer than 25 employees, to receive an assistance grant, you must:
- Apply in Frances Online starting Sept 3, 2023
- Submit documentation verifying you qualify for an assistance grant:
- Show that you hired a temporary replacement employee
- Show proof of wage-related costs, such as overtime or training costs
- Commit to paying the employer contribution (40% of the 1% contribution rate) for at least 8 calendar quarters (2 years) after receiving the grant
What can I use assistance grants for?
There are 2 types of assistance grants.
- A grant for up to $3,000
- To hire a temporary replacement employee
- A grant for up to $1,000
- For wage-related costs, such as overtime or training costs
Do I need to repay the grant?
You may need to repay a grant if:
- There is a change to your employer size and Paid Leave decides that you were a large employer at the time your employee started their leave
- The information or documentation you included in your grant application was inaccurate and you did not meet the requirements for the grant
