The PFML law covers most Massachusetts employees who have met the minimum earnings requirement during the last four completed calendar quarters. This is established annually by the Department of Unemployment Assistance.

Most Massachusetts employees are eligible for up to 25 weeks of combined family and medical leave per benefit year and can take leave for certain qualifying reasons.

Qualifying reasons are:

• Caring for your own serious health condition as certified by a health care provider, including illness, injury or pregnancy/childbirth (up to 20 weeks of paid medical leave).
• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition as certified by a health care provider, including illness, injury or pregnancy/childbirth (up to 12 weeks of paid family leave).
• Bonding with your child during the first 12 months after birth, adoption or placement (up to 12 weeks of paid family leave).
• Caring for a family member who was injured serving in the armed forces (up to 26 weeks of paid family leave).

Your benefit year is unique to you and is based on when you take time off through any leave program. Your benefit year starts the Sunday before your first day of leave and lasts for 52 consecutive weeks. The benefit year determines your benefit rate, which will stay the same for the entire benefit year, even if you file multiple applications or take different types of leaves. Your benefit rate will only change when you start a new benefit year.

Your benefits payment is based on your individual average weekly wage, the state average weekly wage for Massachusetts workers, your benefit year, and the type of leave you’re taking. In 2023, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,129.82. In 2024, the maximum weekly benefit will be $1,149.90. The easiest way to see how much you will get from paid leave is to use this calculator to estimate your weekly benefits.

If you’re eligible for REI’s disability programs (short-term disability or salary continuation), you will receive disability pay from REI, which will be offset (reduced) by the amount you are expected to receive from FAMLI leave benefits. This means that a portion of pay will be issued through REI payroll and the other directly through FAMLI.

You can apply for paid leave 60 days before your leave starts. However, you may need to take leave suddenly and unexpectedly. In this case, you can apply for paid leave after you began taking time off from your job. This is called retroactive leave.

If you apply for retroactive paid leave, your benefits may be reduced if:

• You’re applying more than 90 days after your leave began.
• You were still being paid by your employer during your leave.
• You used another leave program, such as your vacation time or sick leave.
• You received another wage replacement from the government, such as unemployment benefits, during that time.

If you’re applying for retroactive leave, you will need to know the date that your leave began.

In addition to filing with Massachusetts PFML, you will also need to file your leave of absence with Lincoln Financial by calling the Health Guide at 1-800-451-2967 or visiting mylincolnportal.com.

While filling out your application, you’ll be asked:

• The reason you’re taking leave.
• The date you notified your employer that you need to take leave.
• The date when you are planning to take leave, or when your leave started.

Gather documents and personal information:

• Proof of ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID. You can provide a copy of this document online or through the mail.
• Your bank account information, including your bank’s routing number.
• A phone number that can receive text messages (SMS), if you want to enable multi-factor authentication.
• Information from your health care provider about the serious medical condition you or your family member is experiencing.
• Your employer’s Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN).
• If you’re applying for family leave, you may need information about your child’s birth, adoption or foster care placement.

Read more about the documents you may need here.