Massachusetts Sick Time: Employee Handbook Statements Updated

Author: Melissa Gonzalez Boyce, XpertHR Legal Editor

XpertHR has updated the Sick Time Handbook Statement [1-10 Employees]: Massachusetts and the Paid Sick Time Handbook Statement [11+ Employees]: Massachusetts to reflect the expiration of the safe harbor regulation. The Massachusetts Attorney General initially adopted a safe harbor regulation that extended implementation time for employers that had qualifying paid time off (PTO) policies in existence as of May 1, 2015. Under the safe harbor regulation, employers with PTO policies that met certain requirements were deemed to be in compliance with the Earned Sick Time Law (ESTL) until January 1, 2016. As of January 1, 2016, however, the safe harbor has expired and all employers must have PTO or sick time policies that comply fully with all aspects of the ESTL.