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How Much Does MA
Paid Family & Medical Leave Cost?

Massachusetts’ state-mandated Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program provides job-protected partially paid time off to eligible employees for certain qualifying life events.

How much Massachusetts PFML costs, depends on how an employer chooses to provides the coverage – whether through the State Plan, via various self-insured Private Plan options, or in form of a fully insured Private Plan from an insurance carrier like ShelterPoint*.

Private Plans can set their own contribution rate. Private Plan features must be equal to or more generous than the State Plan and most importantly they must not cost the employee more than the State Plan in terms of their maximum employee contribution.


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How MA Paid Family & Medical Leave Maximum Employee Contributions Work With the State Plan

In Massachusetts, the total contribution rate for the State Plan is split between employer and employee for employers with 25+ employees; employers with 24 or fewer employees are exempt from contributing the employer portion to the State Plan. Contributions are capped at the income limit set annually by the Social Security Administration.

See the current State Plan Program cost here.


How MA Paid Family & Medical Leave Contributions Work for Fully Insured Private Plans

Fully insured Private Plans are underwritten by insurance carriers — their rates can be lower or higher than the State Plan rate. 

However, a Private Plan must not cost employees more than they would be required to contribute for the State Plan.

So, for a fully insured Private Plan the maximum employee contribution would be the lesser of:

  • the maximum employee contribution set by the State, or
  • the Private Plan rate if lower
    • Remember, employers cannot profit from providing PFML coverage to their employees!

If the Private Plan rate is higher than the State rate, the employer would be required to fund the portion of the rate that exceeds the maximum employee contributions amount (plus any portion of employee contributions they would like to cover—since an employer may, at their discretion, contribute all or a portion of the employee share of the premium).

Employers with approved Private Plans are exempt from remitting contributions to the State Fund and would instead remit contributions to their Private Plan.


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Private Plan Considerations

Price is not the only factor in choosing a fully insured Private Plan for your business. There are other considerations, such as experience and scalability – which translate into fast turnaround times for claims processing, and smooth service. 
Learn more about Private Plans and how to make the switch here




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MA Paid Family & Medical Leave Premium Rates and Contributions FAQs

What are eligible wages for MA Paid Family & Medical Leave?

MA PFML uses the MA Unemployment Law’s definition of wages, which includes, but is not limited to:
  • salaries,
  • commissions,
  • bonuses,
It can also include the reasonable cash value of:
  • board,
  • rent,
  • housing,
  • lodging,
  • payment in kind, and
  • all remuneration paid in any medium other than cash.
For a full listing of the definition and exceptions, please reference MA Unemployment Law 151A, Section 1 (s).

Learn More About MA Paid Family & Medical Leave

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rest ASSURED: you have found the specialists you can turn to.

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At ShelterPoint, we stay on top of all the latest news, updates, and information about Paid Family & Medical Leave,
 so we can pass it on to you. Sign-up for updates now to stay in the know!


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This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal counsel. Please consult with an appropriate professional for legal and compliance advice. Any program information is based on our knowledge and understanding of MA’s applicable laws and regulations as of the publication date and may change as regulations evolve or MA issues updated guidance. Further, this material is for illustrative purposes only, providing a general overview of the services described. It is not a contract nor intended as an offer of coverage.

Policies are subject to Underwriting approval. Policies are reviewed annually and may be cancelled for nonpayment. All coverage extends to limits reflected in the policy. Please refer to the policy for coverage details pursuant to its governing law, including a complete listing of covered services, provisions, conditions, exclusions, limitations, and terms under which the policy may be continued or cancelled. In the event of conflicting information with the policy and its governing Law, the policy and governing Law will take precedence over what is shown in this material. Claim payment is not guaranteed; benefit amount depends on wages and is subject to adjustment by MA’s applicable governing laws and regulations.

The Massachusetts Paid Family & Medical Leave Act (Massachusetts General Law (MGL) Chapter 175M) governs this Private Plan and its interpretation and administration. Available in MA only.

Underwritten by: ShelterPoint Life Insurance Company (principal office in Garden City, NY) in: MA (form# SPL PFMLP 0820 MA)

 

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