The Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML) provides eligible workers with paid medical and family leave benefits effective Jan. 1, 2021. See July 2018 GT Alert here. Specifically, individuals will be entitled to up to 20 weeks of paid medical leave and 12 weeks of paid family leave per year. The maximum amount of combined family and medical leave an individual may take under the PFML is limited to 26 weeks per year. The benefit amount is based on an employee’s earnings and is capped at $850 weekly.

While entitlement to benefits for employees does not begin until 2021, employers are obligated to comply with the funding and notice aspects of the law beginning in 2019. Starting on July 1, 2019, employers are required to determine contribution amounts for their workforces and make employee deductions as applicable. Contributions will be made to the newly created Family and Employment Security Trust Fund to be administered by the state treasurer.

Click here to read the full GT Alert.