Governor Signs Massachusetts Paid Family And Medical Leave Law

Seyfarth Synopsis: Earlier today, Governor Baker signed into law “An Act Relative To Minimum Wage, Paid Family Medical Leave And The Sales Tax Holiday.”  We previously reported on the details of this bill after the Legislature passed it last week, linked here.

The so-called “grand bargain” law will provide Massachusetts employees paid family and medical leave.  Massachusetts will have one of the most generous paid family leave programs in the country.  Currently, California, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island mandate paid family leave.

The law also will gradually raise the state minimum wage from the current $11 per hour to $15 per hour by 2023.  It would also phase out over five years the time-and-a-half premium pay requirement for retail workers working on Sundays and holidays.

As previously reported, the statutory language raises a number of questions that will need to be addressed through the regulatory process.  The Governor signed the legislation as is, although it is our understanding that at some point in the future, the Governor will file a corrections bill.  Both technical and substantive corrections will likely take place through this corrections bill and the regulatory process.

Please join us for a live webinar on Wednesday, July 11 at 1:00 p.m. ET to discuss the Family Medical Leave Law and its impact on Massachusetts employers. Click here to register.