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MA Paid Family Medical Leave

January 30, 2026

Massachusetts Paid Family And Medical Leave (PFML)

Paid Family and Medical Leave - Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave PFML program has been in effect since 2021, providing eligible employees with paid benefits for qualifying family or medical reasons.
In line with similar programs across the US, the Mass family medical leave act (Massachusetts PFML) provides employees with paid leave to:

Care for a family member with a serious medical condition (up to 12 weeks)
Care for or bond with a newborn infant, adopted child or foster care placement within the first year (up to 12 weeks)
Tend to their own serious medical condition (up to 20 weeks)
Manage the household while a related active duty military member is deployed (up to 12 weeks)
Care for a family member who suffered a serious illness or injury during active duty in the Armed Forces (26 weeks)

Massachusetts PFML does not provide health insurance. It does work in conjunction with federal FMLA laws to provide job protection.

Massachusetts PFML Contribution Rates for Employers and Employees

In 2026, the state plan contribution is 0.88% of eligible wages, up to the year's Social Security cap, with premium costs shared between the employer and employee in businesses with 25+ workers. Private Plan Contribution rates can vary.

Employers cannot withhold more than 0.46% (0.28% for medical leave and 0.18% for family leave) from employee's paychecks.

Smaller businesses do not have to pay an employer share but are still responsible for collecting premium payments through payroll deductions and remitting premiums to the State of Massachusetts or the appropriate private carrier.

Refer to the charts below for a clear picture of what businesses with less than 25 employees or 25+ employees need to pay. These charts are reflective of the State Plans; employers with Private Plan rates can affect the following information.

Contributions - 25 or More Covered Individuals

Contributions - Fewer than 25 Covered Individuals

Massachusetts PFML

Employee Benefits: How Much Can Workers Collect with MA PFML?

Employees who file an eligible paid leave claim receive a percentage of their individual average weekly wage based on the state’s average weekly wage for the benefit year.

The maximum weekly benefit amount for 2026 is $1,230.29 The benefit maximum is set annually.

If the eligible employee's average weekly wage is less than 50% of the state average weekly wage, set at $961.24 for 2026, then the employee receives 80% of their salary up to the maximum weekly benefit.

If the employee's average weekly wage exceeds $961.24, they receive 80% up to $961.24 and then 50% of the difference between their average weekly wage and $961.24, up to $1230.39.

Examples:

If an employee earns $900 per week, that's less than half the SAWW. They would receive 80% of their full pay, or $720 per week.

If an employee earns $1,200 per week, they'd earn 80% of $961.24, or $768.99. Then they'd earn 50% of the excess wages.

$1,200 - $961.24 = $238.76 (difference)

$238.76 / 2 = $119.30

$768.99 + $119.38 = $888.37

If someone earns $2,000 per week, the calculations are the same, but exceed the maximum weekly cap.

$768.99 + 50% of the excess ($519.38) = $1288.37. They would only collect the maximum weekly benefit of $1230.39 in 2026.

Let The DBL Center Help You Privatize PFML Mass

PFML is underwritten and paid by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. But employers have the option to seek a privatized plan, instead.

By law, private PFML plans must offer payouts the same or better than the state plan. Private plans may offer faster underwriting, better service, increased benefits, and lower premiums.

PFML in Massachusetts is a stand-alone benefit. But employers may be able to save money by bundling it with ancillary benefits, including dental, vision, and group life.

If you want to write PFML without bundling other benefits, your choice in carriers may be limited. The DBL Center can write PFML independent of other lines, making it easy and convenient to privatize family and medical leave in Massachusetts.

We are here to help brokers and employers, alike, privatize PFML through our preferred carriers. You will benefit from our white-glove service, fast and flexible payouts, and potential discounts.

Brokers writing PFML will gain the advantage of our Broker Dashboard app, which allows them to track commissions, renewals, and cancellations at a glance. The Broker Dashboard: Net Revenue Tracker lets brokers retain customers more easily and, as a result, keep more of what they earn for increased commissions and incremental growth.

Offering these benefits in conjunction with a robust ancillary benefits package that includes dental, vision, and group health can help employers attract top talent across the state and retain quality employees in a competitive environment. Multi-line discounts by bundling ancillary benefits with statutory PFML benefits can also save employers money.

PFML Eligibility Requirements

MA PFML applies to individuals who need time off:

Due to a serious health condition
To care for a newborn, newly adopted or new foster child within the first year of the event
To manage needs when an immediate family member has an upcoming deployment
•To care for a family member of any age with a serious health condition

The amount of paid time off varies from 12 weeks to care for a family member with a serious health condition up to 26 weeks per benefit year to care for a family member who is a covered service member with a serious health condition.

Additional PFML Eligibility Requirements

Workers quality for benefits under MA PFML if:

They are W-2 employees of a Massachusetts entity
They live in Massachusetts and are 1099 independent contractors for a Massachusetts entity with a workforce made up of more than 50% independent contractors
They are self-employed, live in Massachusetts, and opt in for benefits

Maximum Duration for Paid Family and Medical Leave Massachusetts

The chart below shows the maximum benefits Massachusetts workers can take under the policy, with an aggregate maximum of 26 weeks in one benefit year.

Reason for PFML Claim	Maximum Leave Time
Serious health condition	20 weeks
New birth, adoption, or fostering of a child	12 weeks
Caring for a family member with serious health condition	12 weeks*
Qualifying event related to deployment of family member in the military	12 weeks
Caring for a family member who is a covered member of the military with a serious health condition	26 weeks

Job Protection

Under the MA PFML

The law also provides job protection for employees, but not independent contractors. Under the law, an employee must be restored to their previous or an equal position, with the same

Status
Pay
Benefits
Length-of-service credit
Seniority as of date-of-leave

These protections also exist on a federal level under the family medical leave act. But it’s important to note that, unlike the Massachusetts family leave act, federal FMLA is not a paid benefit.

What’s the difference between PFML and FMLA in Massachusetts?

PFML (Paid Family and Medical Leave) provides up to 26 weeks of partial pay for eligible employees to care for or bond with a family member or treat a serious health condition. FMLA is the Family and Medical Leave Act, a federal law that permits employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected time off work. Massachusetts workers can use PFML in conjunction with FMLA to ensure job protection up to 12 weeks along with pay replacement up to 80% of their salary in some cases.

How do you qualify for PFML in Massachusetts?

To qualify for paid family and medical leave in Massachusetts, a worker must live in Massachusetts and work as a W-2 employee or live in Massachusetts and work as a 1099 contractor for a Massachusetts company with a workforce of more than 50% independent contractors. Self-employed Massachusetts residents may opt in to PFML.

What are the FMLA rules in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts Family and Medical Leave Act rules mirror the Federal law, which provides up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave if someone is bonding or caring for a newborn, newly adopted child, or foster child within the first year, caring for a family member with a serious medical condition or caring for their own medical condition. The law also applies to leave when a family member is being deployed or a family member has suffered a serious illness or injury during active duty in the U.S. military.

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