Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) overview and benefits

If your leave begins in the future, you can expect your first payment 2-4 weeks after your leave begins.

If your leave has already started, you can expect your first payment to arrive 2 weeks after it is approved.

After that, you will receive payments each week. Learn more about how to check the status of your payments.

7-day waiting period

When you begin your paid leave, in most cases there is a waiting period of 7 calendar days before payments begin. Additionally, these 7 days will count against your total available leave for the benefit year.

If you have been approved for intermittent leave, the waiting period will be 7 consecutive calendar days after your first reported absence from work.

During the 7-day waiting period, you can use your paid time off (PTO) and are afforded job protection.

Taxes on benefits

During your application, you have the option to have state and federal taxes withheld from your weekly benefit. This preference cannot be changed once your application has been approved. If you choose to have taxes withheld, we will withhold 5% for state taxes and 10% for federal taxes. 

The IRS has not yet ruled on if your Massachusetts PFML benefits are considered “taxable income.” Without specific guidance from the IRS, the Department cannot provide you with any tax advice or additional guidance. Our recommendation is that you consult with a tax professional. However, you can learn more about how we’re preparing for reporting benefits here.