Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Updates and Changes Effective November 1, 2023 and January 1,2024

What is PFML?

Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) allows employees to take paid time off work for qualifying family or medical reasons. 

The program is administered by the state Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML).

This program is funded by both employer and employee contributions. While similar to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, there are significant differences:

  • PFML provides Massachusetts employees with up to 26 weeks of job-protected and paid family and medical leave each benefit year;
  • Employees may not be required to exhaust other forms of paid leave before utilizing PFML benefits;
  • PFML expands the definition of “family” to include parents-in-law, domestic partners, grandchildren, grandparents, and siblings; and
  • There is no employee tenure requirement to be eligible for PFML benefits.

Qualifying reasons for employees to use PFML: 

Family Leave: 

  • To bond with the employee’s child during the first 12 months after birth or to facilitate the placement of the child for adoption or foster care.
  • Because of any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a family member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty in the Armed Forces. 
  • To care for a family member who is a covered service member. 
  • To care for a family member with a serious health condition. 

Medical Leave: 

  • For an employee’s own serious health condition.
  • There is no employee tenure requirement to be eligible for PFML benefits.

Summary of Changes effective November 1, 2023

Effective November 1, 2023, employees receiving PFML benefits may supplement (or “top off”) their PFML benefits with any available accrued paid leave (sick time, vacation, PTO, personal time, etc.). 

The employee may choose to use their accrued leave to top off their benefits, or they may choose to keep their accrued paid leave to use at another time. 

The combined weekly sum of PFML benefits and employer-provided paid leave benefits cannot exceed the employee’s Individual Average Weekly Wage (IAWW).

Summary of Changes Effective January 1, 2024

Effective January 1, 2024, the contribution rate will increase to .88%.

The contribution rate breaks down as follows:

.70% for medical leave

.42% of the employer’s share

.28% of the employee’s share

.18% for family leave

0% of the employer’s share

.18% of the employee’s share

Effective January 1, 2024, the State Average Weekly Wage will increase to $1,796.72 and the maximum weekly benefit rate will increase to $1,149.90.

Questions:

Contact Katie Temple at ktemple@umassp.edu. 

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