MA COVID-19 Sick Leave March 15, 2022 Expiration / April 29, 2022 Reimbursement Deadline

By Alicia Ward, John Arnold, Kathleen Berney, Catherine Reuben, Peter Moser   March 3, 2022

Last Fall, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed an amendment to Chapter 16 of the Acts of 2021 (An Act Providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“EPSL”)), which extended the EPSL program through April 1, 2022, expanded the reasons for EPSL, and increased the EPSL program’s funding to provide reimbursement to employers.

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The law, as amended, requires employers to make paid leave time available to employees for COVID-related illnesses, quarantine, and vaccinations until the earlier of April 1, 2022 or the exhaustion of $100 million in program funds. On February 28, 2022, the Executive Office for Administration and Finance sent official notice to employers that the EPSL program will end on March 15, 2022. Importantly, employers must continue to offer leave to eligible employees through March 15.

Employers may continue to seek reimbursement for qualifying leave costs taken between May 28, 2021 and March 15, 2022. The deadline to submit applications for reimbursement is April 29, 2022.

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