How to
Request Leave

Medical Leave

Caring for the covered individual’s own serious health condition.

An additional four weeks of paid leave may be available for pregnancy or childbirth-related complications.

Family Leave

Bonding with a new child during the first year or caring for a family member with a serious health condition.

Neonatal Care Leave

Effective January 1, 2026, an additional 12 weeks of paid leave may be available for parents with a child receiving inpatient care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Safe Leave / Personal Protected Leave

Leave for the covered individual or family member who is the victim of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, or abuse.

Military Family Members (Qualifying Exigency) Leave

Leave to deal with a need arising out of a covered individual’s family member’s active-duty service or notice of an impending call or order to active duty in the armed forces.

Advanced Notice

If you plan to use paid leave for a qualifying event, you must give your employer at least 30 calendar days’ notice of foreseeable leave. If 30 days’ notice is not possible, you must provide notice as soon as possible under the circumstances. You can apply for PFML Insurance benefits up to 30 days before the date leave is expected to begin. You will need to update American Fidelity once you begin your leave because benefits will not be paid until after your leave starts.

Emergency Notice

If the need for leave is unexpected, you should give your employer as much notice as possible under the circumstances. You can submit a complete application for benefits, together with all required supporting documentation, up to 30 days after the date leave is to begin. However, an application for benefits received after 30 days from the start of leave, but before 90 days may be considered if it includes evidence establishing good cause for the failure to submit it within 30 days. Applications submitted outside this timeframe will be denied.

Log in to your online account and click Request Leave, then follow the on-screen prompts. Don’t have an account? Register now

For more information on how to submit leave requests, visit our Colorado Resource Library.

You are required to submit documentation to support your leave request. This documentation must be complete, accurate and submitted on time, or your leave application may be adversely impacted. It is very important that you immediately begin to gather and submit all required documentation. You can view the requested documents in your online account. You will be notified if any additional documents are required.

Review required PFML Insurance documentation

Once we receive your leave request with the required documentation, we’ll begin reviewing it. After receiving all required documentation and information, processing time can take up to 14 calendar days. American Fidelity will contact you directly once your request has been approved or denied. For assistance, please call us at 800-662-1113.