IMMEDIATE UPDATE: Massachusetts Extends Deadlines for Paid Family Medical Leave Again!

Governor Baker recently signed an emergency bill changing key deadlines for the Paid Family Medical Leave law (PFML). Specifically, employers were required to start withholding employee contributions for PFML on July 1^st, and submit first quarter contributions by October 31^st. Now, with a three-month extension enacted, employers must begin payroll withholdings as of October 1, 2019, and contributions will be due January 31, 2020. This change was to allow businesses sufficient time to implement the PFML program.

The Massachusetts Department of Paid Family and Medical Leave (Department) also published the unofficial regulations that will go live on the Secretary of State’s Office by July 1^st. To account for the three-month delay in withholdings, the contribution rate has been increased from 0.63% to 0.75% of all wages or other qualifying earnings or payments. The regulations also provide greater insight on how PFML will be administered.

The Department’s website also states that employers must notify their workforce about the state’s PFML program by providing written notice of benefits and protections, and displaying a poster. The new poster is available here. The private plan exemption deadline has also been extended to December 20, 2019. Employees are still able to apply for benefits under the PFML beginning January 1, 2021.

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