The Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave (MA PFML) plan is due to begin January 1, 2021. Wage replacement benefits will be payable to MA workers for medical leave (ML) if they are unable to work due to non-work-related injury or illness, including pregnancy and childbirth or for paid family leave (PFL) if they need time off work to care for a seriously ill family member (extended time available for military family care), to bond with a new child, and to address a military exigency.
Coverage Options: Employers can participate in the state-run program or they can self-insure or fully insure a private plan. MetLife provides fully insured and self-insured coverage options.
Job Protection: The MA PFML coverage is job protected. When applicable, a worker should request leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) concurrently.
Benefits:
- 12 weeks for family leave
- 20 weeks for own serious health condition
- 26 weeks for caring for a covered service member
- No more than 26 weeks total/year for combined family and medical leave
- Maximum weekly benefit is estimated to be up to $850 in 2021
Contributions:
Contributions for the state program are 0.75% up to a state maximum based on the social security wage index and can be a combination of payroll deductions and employer contributions.
- Paid Family Leave: contributions can be 100% employee-paid
- Medical Leave: contributions can be split between the employee (40%) and the employer (60%)
Key Dates:
- 2020: Quarterly contributions due to the state if participating in the state run program
- July 1, 2020: Caring for a seriously ill family member benefit starts
- January 1, 2021: Benefits start
For more information please visit the MA PFML website.
As of March 1, 2020