The HR Compass

Are You Ready?

Oct 26, 2020

Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

Changes to Paid Family and Medical Leave Are Coming

Are you ready for the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law?

The Law takes effect on January 1, 2021. Which means you need to be getting ready for it now; you need to understand what it means and be in compliance as soon as it goes into effect.

What it does

The Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Law applies to all private sector employers, regardless of size, and provides paid leave for all employees – full-time, part-time, seasonal and, in some circumstances, contract employees.

Paid family and medical leave may be taken to:

  • Manage a serious health condition
  • Bond with a newborn child, a newly adopted child or a new foster child
  • Manage family affairs when a family member is on active duty in the armed forces
  • Care for a family member who is a covered service member
  • Care for a family member that has a medical condition (begins 7/1/2021)

What does it mean for you?

Employers are required to inform workers of the Law and their rights under it; this includes items such as posters in the workplace and updating your employee handbooks.

In October 2019, payroll withholdings and employer contributions began in order to fund the claims process starting this January. Since then, employers need to provide new hires with the MA PFML notice specifying the amounts of the employee contribution and any employer contribution.

It is imperative that employers begin now to make sure they are in full compliance with this new law, know how to coordinate it with existing leave polices (e.g. Parental Leave, Short- and Long-Term Disability) and are ready to assist employees in availing of it on January 1, 2021.

Taylor HR Group can help

As your outsourced HR consulting firm, Taylor HR Group can help make sure you are ready. We’ll help ensure you are fully compliant with the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law and all human resource requirements. Our team of HR specialists is here to help you navigate this new law.

Contact Taylor HR Group and find out how we can help you stay on course.