Massachusetts Sick Leave Law: Accrual, Caps and Who Is Covered — Best Proven Guide (2026)

The Massachusetts sick leave law gives you 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, capped at 40 hours a year, for employers of 11 or more must pay; smaller employers provide it unpaid. This guide gives the exact massachusetts sick leave law rule with the date we verified it, the statute, and what to do next.

Rules verified against Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division or an attorney before you rely on it.

Massachusetts Sick Leave Law: The Rule

1 hour for every 30 hours worked. 40 hours a year. Covered: employers of 11 or more must pay; smaller employers provide it unpaid. The statute is Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, 148C (Earned Sick Time), in effect since July 1, 2015.

What Massachusetts Sick Leave Law Lets You Use Leave For

Under the Earned Sick Time Law (M.G.L. c. 149, § 148C), workers can use earned sick time for their own illness, injury or medical appointments, or to care for a sick child, spouse, parent or spouse’s parent. It also covers addressing the effects of domestic violence on the worker or their dependent child.

Since November 21, 2024, it also covers a pregnancy loss or a failed assisted reproduction, adoption or surrogacy, including the physical and mental effects on the worker or their spouse.

Massachusetts Sick Leave Law at a Glance

Rules verified against Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division on 2026-10-08; confirm the current rule with Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division or an attorney before you rely on it. The statute row is where to check it yourself.

Accrual, Caps and Carryover Under Massachusetts Sick Leave Law

1 hour for every 30 hours worked; 40 hours a year. When the need for leave is foreseeable, the state generally requires a good-faith effort to tell the employer in advance. For unforeseeable absences, notice is due as soon as practicable. An employer may ask for reasonable documentation only in limited situations, such as longer absences.

An employer cannot require the worker to explain the nature of the illness or the details of the domestic violence.

Paid or Unpaid Under Massachusetts Sick Leave Law

The leave is paid at your regular rate for the covered employers above; smaller employers in some states must give the time unpaid.

Massachusetts Sick Leave Law and Retaliation

Section 148C makes it unlawful for an employer to interfere with, restrain or deny the use of earned sick time, or to retaliate against a worker who uses it or supports someone else’s claim. Employers also may not count protected sick-time use as a negative factor in decisions about hiring, firing, discipline or promotion. Workers can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division.

Local Rules and Massachusetts Sick Leave Law

Some cities add their own paid-leave ordinance on top of state law; the more generous rule applies.

Other Massachusetts Sick Leave Law Rules to Know

Massachusetts has two separate programs. Earned sick time (§ 148C) is enforced by the Attorney General. Paid Family and Medical Leave (M.G.L. c. 175M) is run by the Department of Family and Medical Leave and covers longer serious-health and family-care absences. Unused earned sick time generally does not have to be paid out when a job ends, so it is worth confirming any separation-pay question with the agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is paid sick leave required in Massachusetts?

Yes. 1 hour for every 30 hours worked.

How much sick leave do I get under Massachusetts sick leave law?

40 hours a year.

Which employers are covered by the Massachusetts sick leave law?

Employers of 11 or more must pay; smaller employers provide it unpaid.

Can I be fired for using sick leave in Massachusetts?

Section 148C makes it unlawful for an employer to interfere with, restrain or deny the use of earned sick time, or to retaliate against a worker who uses it or supports someone else’s claim.

When did the Massachusetts sick leave law take effect?

July 1, 2015.

Official Massachusetts Sources & Resources

• Massachusetts Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division: https://www.mass.gov/the-attorney-generals-fair-labor-division
• Massachusetts statute (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, 148C (Earned Sick Time)): https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXI/Chapter149/Section148C
• Verified source: https://marketingpreview.mercer.com/content/dam/mercer-dotcom/migrated-assets/blogs/law-and-policy/2025/07/pdf-2025-roundup-state-accrued-paid-leave-mandates.pdf
• Verified source: https://www.ep.com/legal-and-compliance/sick-and-paid-leave-laws-update/
• Verified source: https://www.hubinternational.com/en-us/hub-resources/absence-management-bulletins/2025/11/2025-2026-state-leave-law-updates/
• Verified source: https://www.postercompliance.com/blog/paid-sick-leave-laws-by-state/
• U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — state payday requirements: dol.gov

This massachusetts sick leave law guide was last verified against official Massachusetts sources in October 2026. Rules change — confirm the current figure with the state agency or a licensed attorney.

More Massachusetts Workplace Rights Guides

• Massachusetts PTO Laws: Is Unused Vacation Paid Out?
• Massachusetts Break Laws: Meal and Rest Breaks
• Massachusetts Labor Laws: Every Rule in One Place
• Massachusetts Unemployment Eligibility: Who Qualifies
• Unemployment and Workplace Rights Guides for All 50 States

Disclaimer: This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. My Unemployment Rights is an independent educational resource, not a government agency and not a law firm. Final-paycheck deadlines, penalties and non compete rules change — every figure here carries the date we verified it. Confirm the current rule with your state labor department or a licensed attorney before you act.