Massachusetts
Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave (MA PFML)
Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave (MA PFML)
The Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (MA PFML) plan began on January 1, 2021. Wage replacement benefits are payable to MA workers for medical leave (PML) if they are unable to work due to injury or illness, including pregnancy and childbirth or for paid family leave (PFL) to bond with a new child, to address a military exigence with extended time available for military family care. And, as of July 1, 2021, workers were able to receive benefits to care for a seriously ill family member.
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: $1,149.90
Contributions:
Contributions for the state program are 0.88%, 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. The maximum employee contribution for 2024 is $303.48
- Medical Leave: Contributions can be split between the employee (40%) and the employer (60%). Employers with 25 or fewer covered employees, are exempt from paying the employer share of the PML contribution. The maximum employee contribution for 2024 is $472.08
- Private plan rates may be different; however, the employee contributions are capped at the same level as the state’s program.
- The 2024 total maximum employee contribution is $775.56
As of January 31, 2024
What's new with MA PFML?
Check out this short video for more information.
What is Paid Family & Medical Leave?
The information presented in this brochure is not legal advice and should not be relied upon or construed as legal advice. It is not permissible for MetLife or its employees or agents to give legal advice. The information in this brochure is for general informational purposes only and does not purport to be complete or to cover every situation. You must consult with your own legal advisors to determine how these laws will affect you. Like most insurance policies, insurance policies offered by MetLife and its affiliates contain certain exclusions, exceptions, waiting periods, reductions, limitations, and terms for keeping them in force. Please contact MetLife or your plan administrator for complete details. Further, the information in this brochure does not reflect MetLife’s or any particular employer’s internal policies or the benefits available to its employees. All employees, regardless of employer, should consult with their own HR, benefits manager, or visit their HR website for information on the benefits available to them.