Paid Sick Leave in Massachusetts 2023
Massachusetts put its earned sick leave days into action in 2015, becoming only the third state in the United States to guarantee such protection to employees when unfortunate and disabling sickness strikes.
How long is Paid Sick Leave in Massachusetts Available?
The paid sick leave hours can be accrued only up to 40 hours in a year. Employees get an hour of sick leave for every 30 hours they work for the employer. The accrued sick leave days can be carried over from year to year but will remain under the cap of 40 hours.
Some employers may choose to skip out on the accrual system and simply grant all employees 40 hours of paid sick leave at the beginning of the year which expires at the year expires and is reset with the beginning of the new calendar year.
Eligibility for Paid Sick Leave in Massachusetts?
Employers employing 11 or more employees are obliged to provide paid sick leave to their employees. Employers employing 10 or fewer people are also obliged to give sick leave, however, it must be unpaid.
Employees have to have worked at least 90 days for the employer to be eligible to utilize their accrued sick leave days or hours which begin to accumulate since the day they are hired and join the organization.
Full time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers are all eligible to ask for a paid sick leave provided they fill the criteria mentioned above.
How to Apply for Paid Sick Leave in Massachusetts?
When it comes to the likes of doctor’s appointments or checkups that are scheduled ahead of time as a general practice, your employer can ask you to give them up to a week’s notice before you actually take the leave.
If the leave extends up to three consecutive workdays, your employer is in their right to demand some form of documentation so as to validate your absence.
=> You may like to read: Paid Maternity Leave in Massachusetts 2022
Any Specific rule applied to Paid Sick Leave in Massachusetts
An employee may acquire or utilize their paid sick leave hours if the concern arises regarding their own health or the health of a family member, a term which is defined as a spouse, a child, natural or foster, a parent, or a parent in law.
They may also utilize these hours if they are to attend any routine medical checkups and appointments or need to perform some caretaking duties.
While your employer may ask you for documentation pertaining to your sickness or other health-related matters such as those related to violence or abuse, they are not entitled to be told any details of the incident or situation.
