Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act Ends

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Last year, the Massachusetts legislature passed “An Act Providing For Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave.”  As of March 15, 2022, the Act has expired and employees are no longer eligible for leave under the Act.

The Act went into effect on May 28, 2021 and required employers to provide eligible employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave, capped at $850 per week, for certain absences in connection with COVID-19.  This expense is reimbursable to the employer from the COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Fund.

While the program was originally set to expire on April 1, 2022 or upon the exhaustion of $100 million in program funds, the law allowed the Office for Administration and Finance to end the program earlier upon exhaustion of funds.

Employers still have until April 29, 2022 to submit applications for benefits reimbursement.

While this state sick leave benefit has expired as of March 15, 2022, employees may have other leave entitlements under collective bargaining agreements or employer policies.

If you have any questions regarding the content of this update or any other questions regarding labor and employment law generally, please contact us.