Starting in 2021, Massachusetts employees will be entitled to paid family and medical leave under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. The leave will allow employees to (1) care for a family member with a serious health condition, or (2) care for the employee’s own health condition. The leave period ranges from 12 to 26 weeks, depending upon the reason for the leave. The law also protects employees from retaliation after taking such leave.
Beginning in July of 2019, employers will be required to make contributions to the state fund that will be used to pay for these leaves and to provide certain notices to employees regarding the new law. The newly-created Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave plans to publish draft regulations for the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law no later than January 23, 2019; these draft regulations are expected to provide more information on the law, as well as employers’ obligations under the law to make fund contributions.
The Department has scheduled a number of public listening sessions on the draft regulations throughout the Commonwealth, beginning with a session in Boston on January 30, 2019. A complete list of these public listening sessions can be found here. Any member of the public, including representatives from employers around the Commonwealth, may attend and present testimony related to the proposed draft regulations. In addition, written presentations may be sent to MassPFML@Mass.gov.
