Massachusetts Issues Mandatory COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Notice For Employers

Seyfarth Synopsis. On June 4, 2021, Massachusetts released a mandatory COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Notice.  Effective immediately, all Massachusetts employers are required to provide the Notice to their Massachusetts employees and post it in a conspicuous location.

As we discussed in last week’s Alert, on May 28, 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law legislation that grants employees emergency paid sick leave for COVID-19 related illness, quarantine and vaccinations.  On June 4, 2021, Massachusetts released a mandatory COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Notice.  All employers are required to post the Notice in a conspicuous location, and provide a copy to all Massachusetts employees.  The Notice must also be sent by electronic communication or an electronic posting on a web-based platform for any employees who are teleworking.  The notice is available in additional languages on the COVID-19 Temporary Emergency Paid Sick Leave Program website found here.

The Notice also clarifies some ambiguities in the law:

• The Notice confirms that the law took effect on May 28, 2021, and will expire on September 30, 2021, or upon the exhaustion of the program funds, whichever is earlier.
• The Notice also clarifies that the maximum amount an employer is required to pay per employee, rather than per week, is $850 (including cost of benefits).

Contact your Seyfarth attorney and/or consult Seyfarth’s COVID-19 Resource Center for updated information regarding the rapidly evolving COVID-19 situation and its impact on the workplace.

To stay up-to-date on Paid Sick Leave developments, click here to sign up for Seyfarth’s Paid Sick Leave mailing list.  Companies interested in Seyfarth’s paid sick leave laws survey should reach out to paidleave@seyfarth.com.