- Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development
November is National Family Caregivers Month. Many individuals find themselves in the crucial role of family caregiver, whether to care for an ailing parent, support a spouse through a serious illness, or nurture a child with special needs. Building on the new leadership of the Massachusetts Caregiver Coalition, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) is committed to raising awareness of available caregiving resources for workers and employers.
In Massachusetts, we recognize that paid family leave for caregivers is essential for fostering healthy communities and a thriving workforce. The Commonwealth’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program offers support for eligible workers, allowing them to care for their family members when needed.
The Positive Impact of Paid Family Leave
Benefits of Paid Family Leave for Employees: Approximately two thirds of family caregivers are also working, many of them full-time. Paid leave can enable workers with caregiving responsibilities to care for a seriously ill family member without falling into economic hardship. PFML also offers certain job protections.
Benefits of Paid Family Leave for Employers: Studies show that the increased productivity and staff retention associated with paid family leave results in a financial benefit to employers that is approximately four times more financially valuable than the costs of administering a paid leave program.
Benefits to Communities: Research suggests that when leave is paid, as opposed to unpaid leave, more low-income workers take leave, which increases equity and enables more families to benefit from paid leave policies.
Who is Eligible for Paid Family Leave in MA?
You may be eligible to take family leave if all of the following apply:
- You need to take time off to care for a family member with a serious health condition, as certified by a health care provider. Learn more about what qualifies as a serious health condition.
- You work in Massachusetts for a Massachusetts business or state agency and your employer is participating in the program (If you’re self-employed, you may opt-in through MassTaxConnect.)
- You meet the earnings requirement.
Learn more about paid leave eligibility.
For PFML, family members include:
- Your spouse or domestic partner
- Your children, stepchildren or domestic partner’s children
- Your parents, stepparents or parent’s domestic partner
- Your spouse or domestic partner’s parents
- Your grandchildren, step-grandchildren or domestic partner’s grandchildren
- Your grandparents, step-grandparents, or grandparent’s domestic partner
- Your siblings or step-siblings
In addition, you can care for family members who are related through in loco parentis, custodial/non-custodial care, and/or as your legal ward.
Types of Leave Available to Caregivers
Leave can be scheduled in 3 different ways:
- Continuous leave: A single time period of consecutive, uninterrupted days
- Reduced leave: A consistent but reduced schedule for multiple weeks
- Intermittent leave: Multiple episodes of time off, which may be irregular or unexpected
Learn more about what kinds of schedules PFML accommodates.
How to Apply for PFML
Learn how to apply for paid family and medical leave, including what documents you should prepare. You can also access downloadable resources for employers and employees, which are available in multiple languages.
Blog by the MassLWD Communications Staff. Find our official agency accounts: Mass.gov/LWD
