Last week at the polls,
voters in Massachusetts approved the right for employees to earn and use up to
forty hours of sick leave in the workplace each year. Listed below is what you
should know about Earned Sick Time:
v Beginning on July 1,
2015, this new legislation will allow employees who work for larger companies (11 +
employees) to be paid for sick leave, as opposed to those who work for
smaller companies (< 11 employees) whose sick leave will be unpaid.
v This
leave can be used in order to care for his/her self, spouse, children, parents
or spouse’s parent in the event of a routine medical appointment, injury,
physical illness or mental illness. An employee may also use the leave to deal
with the effects of domestic violence.
v An
employee can only request sick leave after the first 90 days of employment with
a company.
v Employees
are required to earn a minimum of 1 hour of sick time per every 30 hours that
they work.
v Although
employees may not use more than 40 hours each year, they can carry over hours
that are unused from previous years. These hours are not “paid out” when the employee
resigns or is terminated.
v Employers
may request proof of illness if the hours used by an employee for an illness exceed
24 work hours in a row.
v A notice/handout
explaining Earned Sick Leave must be posted where employees can see it.
Further details regarding
the administration of the law are still being worked out. Ipswich Bay Advisors will provide updates as
they are released. If you have any
questions regarding the recent legislation or would like our assistance in
reviewing how the Earned Sick Time law coordinates with your current leave
policies, please contact our office.
Thank you.
