Client Alert: Department of Paid Family and Medical Leave Extends the Employer Notice and Private Plan Exemption Application Deadlines
In response to the Commonwealth’s decision to delay the Paid Family and Medical Leave program (PFML) contribution start date until October 1, 2019, the Department of Paid Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has extended two additional deadlines to allow employers more time to prepare their organizations for PFML.
The DFML extended the deadline for employers to notify all covered individuals of their rights and obligations under PFML from June 30, 2019 to September 30, 2019. The DFML has issued new model notices reflecting the revised PFML dates and contribution rates. Employers who have already provided written notices to their workforce will need to provide their employees with an addendum explaining the updated PFML dates and contribution rates. The DFML is expected to provide a model addendum sometime this week.
The DFML also extended the deadline for employers to apply for private plan exemptions from September 20, 2019 to December 20, 2019, allowing employers additional time to apply for an exemption from the obligation to pay the required PFML contributions.
Finally, on June 17, 2019, the DFML issued the final PFML regulations. Stay tuned for additional updates on the PFML and the scheduled implementation.
