Labor & Employment (Paid Leave)

introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 3624: An Act establishing a special commission on paid family and medical leave for public employees

This bill creates a special commission to study paid family and medical leave for public employees in Massachusetts. The commission will examine costs, funding options, economic impacts, and equity gaps (particularly for women and marginalized groups), and provide recommendations by July 2026. It requires public hearings and a final report to the legislature, but does not establish paid leave itself. The study directly affects public and quasi-public employees, focusing on potential policy changes for this specific workforce. The commission includes legislative leaders, agency representatives, and community advocates, with no compensation for members.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates commission to study paid family/medical leave for public employees, focusing on equity gaps and economic impacts to inform future policy expansion of worker benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 1169: An Act improving the Massachusetts paid family medical leave law

SD 1169 amends Massachusetts' paid family medical leave law to improve employer notification and reporting. It requires employers to inform employees (including covered contract workers) within five business days about their eligibility for paid leave when leave is requested or known. The bill also adds detailed reporting requirements for the state, including demographic data on claimants, processing times, benefit amounts, and metrics on private plan performance. Additionally, it mandates an annual public education campaign about the law, with outreach materials in multiple languages and evidence of distribution. These changes directly affect Massachusetts employees, contract workers, and employers covered by the paid leave program.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enhances access to medical leave by improving employer notification and reporting, expanding healthcare coverage for family health needs under paid leave law.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAmends paid leave law to require timely employer notifications and detailed reporting, strengthening worker access to benefits and transparency in the program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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introduced · Massachusetts · Senate

SD 224: An Act relative to mandated use of paid time off for quarantine purposes

This bill (SD 224) ensures employees required to quarantine due to COVID-19 or other medical illnesses by health authorities or employer policies do not have to use their accrued paid sick leave to cover missed work hours. It directly affects workers in Massachusetts who receive mandatory quarantine orders, preventing employers from requiring them to draw from their existing paid sick time during that period. The key provision amends state law to override any conflicting rules that might force such usage. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents employers from forcing use of paid sick leave during mandated quarantine, supporting public health compliance and worker access to health directives without financial penalty.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents employers from requiring employees to use accrued paid sick leave during mandatory quarantine, directly protecting workers' rights and expanding benefits under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 708: An Act extending parental leave

This bill (HD 708) is currently a draft under review by House Counsel with no substantive text or details provided in the available context. The title indicates it aims to extend parental leave, but specific provisions - such as the duration of the extension, eligibility criteria, or affected groups - have not been defined. Without finalized language or a completed summary, no concrete policy changes or mechanisms can be described. As a draft bill, it has not yet been introduced or debated, so its actual impact remains undetermined. A full summary cannot be provided until the bill is finalized and published.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentTitle indicates extending parental leave, expanding worker benefits and supporting employment standards.70% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 1001: An Act relative to access to Paid Family and Medical Leave and unemployment insurance for graduate student workers

The bill amends Chapter 151A, Section 6 of Massachusetts General Laws by removing subsection (k), but the provided text does not describe what subsection (k) contained or the specific policy change being enacted. Without context on the original subsection or the bill's full provisions, the exact impact on graduate student workers' access to paid family/medical leave or unemployment insurance cannot be determined from this excerpt. The summary provided in the bill text is empty, and the amendment alone does not clarify whether this removes a barrier, eliminates a provision, or modifies eligibility rules. A complete summary would require the full bill text or explanation of subsection (k)'s prior content.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill title targets expanding paid leave/unemployment access for graduate workers, aligning with support indicators. However, amendment details are unspecified, creating moderate ambiguity in impact.65% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave Unemployment

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 657: An Act improving the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave Law

This bill (HD 657) updates Massachusetts' Paid Family Medical Leave Law to improve employer notification requirements and reporting. It requires employers to inform all employees (including contract workers) within 5 business days about their eligibility for paid leave, providing necessary forms and written details. The bill also mandates new detailed reporting by the state, including demographic data (age, race, gender, etc.) on claimants, processing times, benefit amounts, and outcomes of appeals. These changes aim to increase transparency and accessibility of the program for workers and employers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareImproves access to medical leave benefits by mandating clear employer notifications and demographic reporting for claimants95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employers to notify all employees (including contractors) about paid leave eligibility within 5 days and mandates demographic reporting, expanding access to benefits and strengthening worker protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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passed · Massachusetts · Senate Oct 23, 2025

S 1354: An Act relative to bereavement leave

By Ms. Miranda, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1354) of Liz Miranda for legislation relative to bereavement leave. Labor and Workforce Development.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill establishes bereavement leave, expanding worker benefits under Labor and Workforce Development, directly advancing employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave Workforce Development

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 360: 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.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill grants employees right to unpaid leave for family court matters, protecting job security during parenting-related legal proceedings without restricting existing employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 345: An Act relative to expanding paid family and medical leave

This bill expands Massachusetts' paid family and medical leave program by clarifying who qualifies as an "employer" under the law. It specifically designates school districts as covered employers (not subject to certain restrictions), identifies the Department of Early Education and Care as the employer for family child care providers, and defines the PCA Quality Home Care Workforce Council as the employer for personal care attendants. The bill also creates a new "Educator Paid Family and Medical Leave Fund" to reimburse school districts for providing paid leave benefits to their employees, funded by state appropriations and interest. This directly affects school districts, personal care attendants, and family child care providers by changing their employer relationships and funding mechanisms for leave benefits.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly designates school districts as covered employers for paid leave, extending benefits to educators (teachers), directly supporting educator welfare and access to family medical leave.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands paid medical leave access, strengthening healthcare service utilization for employees needing medical care or family support.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands paid family and medical leave coverage to school districts, child care providers, and personal care attendants, strengthening worker benefits and employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers Long-Term Care Paid Leave

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introduced · Massachusetts · House

HD 656: An Act amending the Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave Law definitions of a covered business entity and a covered contract worker

This bill amends Massachusetts' Paid Family Medical Leave Law by updating key definitions. It redefines a "covered business entity" as any business where 50% or more of its workforce consists of non-employee contractors (not classified as employees under Chapter 151A). It also redefines a "covered contract worker" as an individual not classified as an employee who requires employers to contribute to the Family and Employment Security Trust Fund. These changes directly affect businesses using significant contractor labor and those contract workers now eligible for the leave program. The bill adjusts the legal definitions to expand eligibility under the existing leave law, without changing benefit amounts or core program rules.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Paid Family Medical Leave coverage to include more businesses and contract workers, strengthening health-related leave benefits and access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands paid family leave coverage to contract workers by requiring employer contributions, strengthening worker benefits under the law.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Paid Leave

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