Last updated: 2026-09-21.
Statewide MandateHow Massachusetts's real statutory thresholds apply to specific employer profiles. Each section re-frames the state law above for one audience — the underlying figures never change, only the lens does.
For employers with fewer than 15 employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid)". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For employers with 50 or more employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid)". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant, café, and food-service operators: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including restaurants & food service, use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores, shops, and chains: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including retail employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics, hospitals, and healthcare staffing: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including healthcare employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hr teams onboarding new employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid)". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant and food-service operators with fewer than 15 employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small restaurants (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant groups and chains with 50 or more employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large restaurants & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores and shops with fewer than 15 employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small retail (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail chains with 50 or more employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large retail & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics and healthcare practices with fewer than 15 employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small healthcare (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hospitals and healthcare systems with 50 or more employees: Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large healthcare systems (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid), accrual 1 hour per 30 hours worked, cap 40 hours per year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Statewide mandate | Yes |
| Employer threshold | 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid) |
| Accrual rate | 1 hour per 30 hours worked |
| Max accrual / year | 40 hours per year |
| Paid or unpaid | mixed |
| Carryover | Yes |
| Qualified reasons | Own/family illness, preventive care. |
| Effective date | Nov 1, 2015 |
| Official source | https://www.mass.gov/info-details/earned-sick-time ↗ |
Massachusetts earned sick time (M.G.L. c.149 § 148C) guarantees leave from the first employee for illness and preventive care, while federal law provides no paid sick-leave floor and the FMLA is unpaid and limited to 50+ employee employers for serious conditions. Massachusetts employers with 11+ must pay; smaller employers must offer the same accrual but may treat it as unpaid — a size-based split federal law does not draw.
Massachusetts mirrors Maryland and Rhode Island in a headcount-based paid/unpaid split (11+ paid here). It is more generous than Rhode Island's 18+ threshold but narrower than New Jersey's all-employer paid mandate and Connecticut's glide to universal. The 90-day retaliation presumption and AG enforcement make Massachusetts among the stricter Northeast regimes on employer conduct.
| Year | Change |
|---|---|
| 2014 (eff. Nov 1, 2015) | Earned Sick Time law (Question 4 / c.149 § 148C) took effect after the 2014 ballot question. |
| 2015–present | 940 CMR 33 regulations implemented accrual, notice, and anti-retaliation rules; the AG's Fair Labor Division enforces. |
| 2026 | No new statutory change to the earned sick time entitlement; employers should monitor AG guidance and any county-level action. |
Employers in Massachusetts most often trip on the items below. Amounts are typical statutory ranges — confirm the current figure with the state labor department before acting.
| Violation | Typical penalty / fine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Denying accrued earned sick time | Civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation plus liquidated damages; the AG Fair Labor Division enforces on behalf of employees. | Employees may also pursue a private wage claim. |
| Retaliation for using sick time | A 90-day presumption of retaliation shifts the burden to the employer; remedies include reinstatement, back pay, and damages. | Anti-retaliation is a stand-alone violation under § 148C. |
| Failing to post the notice or keep records | Separate civil penalty per violation via the AG Fair Labor Division. | Posting the approved earned sick time notice is mandatory for all covered employers. |
Use the button below to print or save a one-page compliance summary for Massachusetts. It includes the state law table and any local ordinances above.
Yes. Massachusetts requires paid sick leave for 11+ employees (paid); smaller (unpaid). Accrual is 1 hour per 30 hours worked, capped at 40 hours per year, with carryover Yes.
Employees accrue 1 hour per 30 hours worked. The max accrual is 40 hours per year.
No local ordinances are tracked for Massachusetts beyond the state law.
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