Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML)

Related Links and Resources:

• Collective bargaining agreements 
• Faculty: Refer to the handbook of their primary school affiliation for guidance.
• Postdoctoral Scholars’ handbook
• Leave of Absence policy
• Leave of Absence process
• MA PFML Plan Document 
• Training: What To Do If You Need to Take a Leave of Absence 
• Training: What To Do When You Are Returning from a Leave of Absence 
• Supervisor Training: Leave of Absence

This policy applies to all exempt, non-exempt staff and faculty and postdoctoral scholars eligible for military caregiver, military, family, and medical leave (“PFML”) pursuant to the definitions outlined in this policy.  Pay and benefits references may be found in related resources and can be provided by visiting Leaves at https://access.tufts.edu/taking-a-leave. All leaves are concurrent.

Employees subject to a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) will receive benefits in accordance with the CBA in addition to PFML provided for in this policy.  To the extent permitted by law, the benefits in this policy will run concurrent with the benefits provided under the CBA. 

Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML)

Massachusetts paid family and medical leave is a state program authorized by the Massachusetts “Grand Bargain” law. This leave program became effective January 1, 2021. Some key features include:

• Applies to Massachusetts employers regardless of their size
• Mandates paid, job-protected leave to eligible workers
• Mandates partial income replacement for leaves based on a covered individual’s average weekly earnings
• A maximum weekly benefit up to $1,149.90 (for leaves beginning during 2024)*

*$1,129.82 was the state published maximum weekly benefit during 2023; this amount is adjusted annually.

Coverage

Massachusetts paid family and medical leave is available to covered individuals who work in Massachusetts. Covered individuals comprise:

• Massachusetts W-2 employees of businesses, organizations, state agencies  
• Certain Massachusetts contractor workers
• For Tufts includes:
  • Regular employees:  benefits eligible and non-benefits eligible
  • Temporary Tufts employees
  • Former employees for 26 weeks after separation or until re-employed, whichever comes first

Eligibility

• Must have met minimum earnings requirement with any Massachusetts employer(s) in the last 12 months (as of January 2024, the minimum state published earnings requirement was $6,300; this amount is adjusted annually)
• The amount earned must be at least 30 times more than how much will be received each week in benefits.

Types of Leaves Covered Under Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave*

• Medical Leave – pay and job protection up to 20 weeks per benefit year, when employees are unable to work due to a serious health condition.
• Family Leave – pay and job protection up to a combined maximum of 12 weeks per benefit year for the following leave reasons:
  • Care for a family member* with a serious health condition
  • Bond with a newborn child
  • Bond with a child after adoption or foster placement
  • Manage family affairs when a family member is on active duty in the armed forces.
• Military Caregiver Family Leave – pay and job protection up to 26 weeks when caring for a covered military service member with a serious health condition related to their military service.

The maximum time available for any combination of leave types is 26 weeks in a benefit year.

*For purposes of family leave used to care for a family member, family members include: a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, or parent of a spouse or domestic partner; a person who stood in loco parentis when a covered individual was a minor child; or a grandchild, grandparent or sibling.

Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave – Tufts Modified Leave Plan*

• Tufts was required to make changes to our paid leave plan to comply with state requirements
• Tufts modified leave plan preserves most elements of our prior university paid leave provisions
• Expands coverage in compliance with the state program to include:
  • Non-benefits eligible, temporary, and former employees
  • Additional paid family caregiver leave for all employees up to 12 weeks
• Tufts will fully fund our private modified plan, no employee payroll deductions are required
• Two options for employees to receive benefits payments
• Duration of medical disability benefit coverage to shift and will be consistent with the new law

*Employees covered under contracts are entitled to leave and related benefits as outlined in their respective collective bargaining agreements.

Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave – Tufts Leave Plan Benefit Payment Options

Employees with sick, vacation or personal time can choose between two benefit payment options:

• Basic Leave Pay – guaranteed partial income replacement based upon the state’s calculated benefit rate up to a maximum weekly payment (as of January 2024, the maximum state published rate for leaves beginning during 2024 is $1,149.90 per week; this amount is adjusted annually). Effective November 1, 2023, if an employee applies for a leave or begins a new leave on or after this date, they may supplement ("top off") the Basic Leave Pay with eligible sick, vacation or personal time, per all relevant university policies. Please note that the combined weekly sum of Basic Leave Pay and employer-provided eligible paid time off cannot exceed the employee’s Individual Average Weekly Wage.
• Enhanced Leave Pay – employees with sick, vacation or personal time apply their accrued time to receive full income replacement (up to 100% of base pay)

Eligible employees who do not have any sick, vacation or personal time can still receive basic leave pay benefits based on the state calculated rate.

This chart illustrates the benefits and payment options.*

*Note: There is a one-week unpaid waiting period associated with state-mandated benefits—the basic leave pay option.

If the employee’s leave is denied, they may be required to reimburse the University for any leave-related compensation received during their unapproved leave period.

Medical Disability Leave Duration Changes Effective January 1, 2021

• Tufts Medical Leave disability program aligned with the state program
• The maximum number of weeks available for medical sick time shifted from 26 weeks to 20 weeks
• The sick time accrual rate was adjusted to a maximum of 20 weeks
• Eligibility for long-term medical disability benefits begins on week 21
• The maximum number of weeks for full-time, non-exempt staff eligible for the Extended Sick Leave program (ESL) also shifted to 20 weeks, and the ESL waiting period was reduced from four weeks to one week (eligible employees may collect benefits sooner)