4 things we've learned about paid family and medical leave in Massachusetts

At the beginning of 2021, Massachusetts employees became eligible to start taking paid family and medical leave (PFML) for certain qualifying reasons. They immediately began to apply for the leave, and the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave started to process claims. So, what have we learned about the program? Here are four highlights.

It's imperative for employers to register for the portal

Unless your business opted out and was approved for a private plan, when an employee applies for PFML, your company (and sometimes a former employer) will get a request from the department for information related to the individual and the claim. You have just 10 days to respond. As a result, it's incredibly important for the requests to be directed to the correct person or persons at your company.

What was unclear to many employers at first is that the information requests are processed through a different system than the MassTaxConnect system where PFML contributions are processed. As a result, you must create an employer account by using the department website or calling the department.

Upon registering a PFML claim, the employee can designate one or more persons to whom the department should send the application inquiries. If your company doesn't create an account, the department will attempt to contact the individual identified as your agent through MassTaxConnect, but you risk missing your opportunity to respond to the leave application. If you don't respond to an information request, the department will process the application with information it receives from the employee.