New Year, New Massachusetts Labor Law Posters (PFMLA + Workers’ Comp)

New changes to the Massachusetts paid leave law and a new address for the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents mean it’s time for Bay State employers to update their policies and labor law posters for 2022.

Here’s what you need to know.

 

New Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act Poster

The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave has set the 2022 rates for employer contribution and maximum benefit amounts under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA).

Effective January 1, 2022, employers must give employees notice about the PFMLA and its new required pay deductions. The new contribution rates are as follows:

• The maximum weekly PFML benefit will be $1,084.31. This is an increase from the previous maximum amount of $850 per week. The paid family medical leave benefit is derived from the average weekly wage in the Commonwealth. The increased maximum weekly benefit amount reflects that the average weekly wage for 2022 will be $1,694.24, an increase from $1,487.78.
• The employer’s benefit contribution amount has been reduced. The benefit contribution rate was 0.75% of eligible wages, but in 2022, it will be reduced to 0.68% of payroll based on the employee’s first $142,800 in wages.
• Employers with 25 or more employees must pay 60% of the medical leave and 0% of the family leave. Employees must pay the remaining 40% of the medical leave and 100% of the family leave.
• Employers with fewer than 25 employees aren’t required to contribute. They must only withhold the employee share of the premium (0.224% for medical leave and 0.12% for family leave).

These new changes apply to employers that have private plans as well. Covered individuals cannot opt out of the tax. Self-employed workers are not required to contribute, but they can opt in.

In 2021, Massachusetts became one of the first states to provide a paid leave program in the United States as part of its workplace reforms. The law allows eligible Massachusetts employees to take up to a total of 26 weeks of paid leave per year.

The paid leave can be used to care for qualified family members, including:

• spouse or domestic partner;

• children, whether biological, adopted, foster, or stepchildren;

• parents and spouse or domestic partner’s parents;

• grandchildren;

• grandparents; and

Qualified employees are entitled to paid leave as follows:

• up to 12 weeks of paid leave in a rolling 12-month period to bond with a new child after pregnancy, adoption, or foster care placement;

• up to 12 weeks to address a need arising from a family member’s active military duty or impending call to active military duty;

• up to 12 weeks to care for a member with a serious health condition;

• up to 20 weeks for their own serious health condition; and

• up to 26 weeks to care for a family member in the armed services with a serious health condition.

 

New Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Poster

The Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents has new contact information as of November 2021. Massachusetts employers will need to update their posters to reflect this new information.

 

How Massachusetts Employers Can Comply with the 2022 Updates

Employers are legally required to display posters of the paid family and medical leave benefits as well as the workers’ compensation benefits. Our Massachusetts labor law poster package includes these and other required Massachusetts posters. Our posters are available in English and Spanish.

 

Sign up today for our 1-Year Compliance Plan, and you’ll receive regular updates, so you won’t have to worry about keeping up with labor law poster updates again.