An Act relative to employee leave of absence to appear in the Probate and Family Court

This bill (HD 360) gives Massachusetts employees the right to take unpaid leave to attend Probate and Family Court for parenting-related matters, including divorce, custody, paternity, and enforcement of court orders. Employees can use existing accrued paid leave (like vacation or sick days) for this purpose if available, but employers aren’t required to provide paid leave where they wouldn’t normally offer it. Employees must give employers at least seven days’ notice if the court appearance is predictable, or as much notice as possible otherwise, and employers may require court documentation. The Attorney General enforces the law, with violations subject to penalties under existing statutes.