Paid Leave · Massachusetts
Massachusetts Paid Family Caregiving Leave in 2026
Caring for a seriously ill family member. Here is how many weeks Massachusetts pays, what each week pays at your income, and the formula the state uses — worked through at $60,000 a year, with a table for other pay levels.
Informational only — not financial or legal advice. Does not include income tax on benefits.
In Massachusetts you can take up to 12 weeks of family caregiving leave and be paid for 11 of them: about $865 a week, or 75% of your usual pay. The first week is unpaid.
- 80% of the first $961.24$768.99
- 50% of the $192.61 above $961.24$96.30
- Weekly benefit$865.30
- Program: Paid Family and Medical Leave, run by Massachusetts DFML.
- Waiting period: the first 7 days are unpaid and count toward your 12 weeks.
- Who qualifies: At least $6,300 earned in the last four completed quarters and at least 30 times your weekly benefit.
- Family and medical leave combined are capped at 26 weeks a benefit year. The 80% band is half the state average weekly wage ($1,922.48 for 2026); the cap is 64% of it.
Law: M.G.L. c. 175M § 3 · Figures: Mass.gov — how PFML weekly benefits are calculated
Job protection is separate. Federal FMLA gives up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours. State paid leave usually runs at the same time, not after it.
Assumes steady pay over the past year. Benefits are figured from your quarterly wage records, so uneven pay changes the answer. Informational only, not financial or legal advice.
Massachusetts family caregiving leave by yearly pay
| Yearly pay | Weekly wage | Weekly benefit | Share of pay | Total for 11 paid weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $576.92 | $461.54 | 80% | $5,077 |
| $45,000 | $865.38 | $692.31 | 80% | $7,615 |
| $60,000 | $1,153.85 | $865.30 | 75% | $9,518 |
| $80,000 | $1,538.46 | $1,057.60 | 69% | $11,634 |
| $100,000 | $1,923.08 | $1,230.39 (cap) | 64% | $13,534 |
| $150,000 | $2,884.62 | $1,230.39 (cap) | 43% | $13,534 |
Assumes the same pay in every quarter of the base period. The share of pay falls as income rises because the formula replaces less of each extra dollar, then stops at the cap.
Asking your employer
Massachusetts pays the benefit, but your employer still needs notice. Draft a leave request letter that cites M.G.L. c. 175M § 3 and federal FMLA.
Other kinds of leave in Massachusetts
Last reviewed: September 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does Massachusetts family caregiving leave pay per week in 2026?
Up to $1,230.39 a week. Below the cap, the benefit is a share of your average weekly wage: at $60,000 a year it is about $865 a week. The table above shows other pay levels.
How many weeks of family caregiving leave do you get in Massachusetts?
Up to 12 weeks under Paid Family and Medical Leave, with the first 7 days unpaid. Family and medical leave combined are capped at 26 weeks a benefit year. The 80% band is half the state average weekly wage ($1,922.48 for 2026); the cap is 64% of it.
Who qualifies for Massachusetts family caregiving leave?
At least $6,300 earned in the last four completed quarters and at least 30 times your weekly benefit. Qualifying for pay is separate from job protection: federal FMLA protects your job only if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours.
What law sets Massachusetts's family caregiving leave benefit?
M.G.L. c. 175M § 3, administered by Massachusetts DFML. StubTrue reviews the figures each year when the state updates its average weekly wage and cap; last reviewed September 2026.
Related tools
See how many weeks of leave your state gives, how many are paid, and what each week pays — for a new baby, your own health, or caring for family. Formula and law shown.
/paid-leave-calculatorOpen →Leave Request Letter GeneratorDraft a request for time off to your employer that cites federal FMLA and your state's paid leave program. Copy it and send.
/leave-request-letterOpen →State Disability & Paid Leave Deduction CalculatorSee exactly how much your state's SDI or PFML payroll deduction takes from your paycheck — covers CA, NJ, NY, RI, HI, WA, MA, CT, and OR.
/state-disability-calculatorOpen →