By Kyle Pardo
Executive Vice President, AIM HR Solutions

“I’ve been researching, but it’s quite confusing.”

A Massachusetts HR professional shared that frustration in a Reddit discussion about intermittent leave. The employer was trying to understand how to manage an employee’s intermittent leave alongside the company’s flexible paid time off policy.

Five years after Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) benefits became available, employers still face questions without straightforward answers. Our own mid-year HR Helpline analysis reinforces that message: time off and leave generated more questions than any other HR topic, and PFML accounted for more than half of them. Most of those calls aren’t about what the law says. They’re about applying it when real workplace situations get messy.

What’s Changing for PFML in 2027?

Beginning January 1, 2027, the maximum weekly PFML benefit will increase from $1,230.39 to $1,284.61.

The overall contribution rate for employers with 25 or more covered individuals will remain at 0.88%, but legislation enacted in June 2026 changes how contributions are divided between family and medical leave.

This adjustment is intended to address federal tax implications associated with employer-funded medical leave benefits. Employers should work with their payroll providers to confirm withholding settings and ensure employee notices reflect the updated contribution rates.

Intermittent Leave: Where Compliance Meets Reality

Consider a familiar scenario: an employee has an approved intermittent leave arrangement for a serious health condition. Their absences are unpredictable and sometimes come with little notice. Their supervisor struggles to cover shifts, coworkers pick up extra work, and HR fields questions about what the employer can reasonably require.

An approved arrangement doesn’t eliminate an employee’s responsibility to communicate about absences, but some medical conditions make advance notice difficult or impossible. The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) recently released an Employer’s Guide to Intermittent PFML that addresses leave tracking, employee communication, and medical recertification.

Set your procedures before a complicated case arrives. Employees should know how to report absences, supervisors should understand their responsibilities, and HR should have a consistent process for reviewing leave usage and addressing concerns. Protected leave shouldn’t be harder to take, and the business still needs to run.

Your Supervisors Play a Bigger Role Than You Think

One of the most common sources of HR risk isn’t necessarily a poorly written policy. It’s a well-intentioned supervisor who doesn’t understand how to apply it.

A supervisor frustrated by repeated absences might question whether an employee really needs leave, make an offhand comment about attendance, or consider disciplinary action without recognizing the potential legal implications.

Under Massachusetts PFML, employees have important job protection and anti-retaliation rights. Even seemingly minor decisions can create significant risks when protected leave is involved. Supervisors don’t need to become PFML experts, but they do need to recognize when a situation requires HR involvement.

Employers Have Questions. Let’s Talk About Them.

One of the most common sources of HR risk isn’t a poorly written policy. It’s a well-intentioned supervisor who doesn’t know how to apply it.

A supervisor frustrated by repeated absences might question whether an employee really needs leave, make an offhand comment about attendance, or consider discipline without recognizing the legal implications. Massachusetts PFML gives employees job protection and anti-retaliation rights, so even small decisions can create real exposure when protected leave is involved. Supervisors don’t need to become PFML experts, but they do need to know when to involve HR.

Employers Have Questions. Let’s Talk About Them.

Our HR Roundtables have always been a place for candid conversation about what employers are dealing with, and PFML comes up constantly.

On Nov. 18, the AIM HR Roundtable will welcome Bill Alpine from DFML for his regular session with our group. Bill will provide program updates and take employers’ questions directly. These sessions are consistently among our best-attended.

On Tuesday, November 10, from 1:00–1:45 p.m., AIM will host a members-only PFML Town Hall, PFML Town Hall featuring Sam Larson, AIM’s Senior Vice President of Government Affairs & Legal Counsel, and Terry Cook, AIM HR Solutions SVP of Employer Services. We’ll cover key updates from the 2026 legislative session and want to hear about your experiences, concerns, and ideas for future PFML reforms.

For more hands-on guidance, we’re also offering an on Dec 10. This practical training will explore real-world scenarios involving employee notice requirements, leave tracking, suspected misuse, and other complicated situations.

Looking Ahead

Before the town hall, pull your intermittent leave procedures and ask two questions

1. Would a supervisor know what to do with a third unplanned absence this month,

   and

2. Would your HR team handle it the same way every time? If the answer to either is no, that’s where to start.

And as always, our team at AIM HR Solutions is here to help.