The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Insurance has announced that the Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“MEPSL”) will expire on March 15, 2022, and employers have until April 29, 2022 to file their applications for reimbursements. This means employees may continue to take leave under the program through March 15^th, but employers then have until April 29^th to file any outstanding claims.

As we previously reported, the temporary Massachusetts law providing 40 additional hours of paid sick leave (pro-rated for part-time employees) for COVID-19 related reasons went into effect in May 2021. Employers are able to apply to the state for reimbursement for up to $850 per employee, including the cost of benefits.  The law was set to expire on April 1, 2022 or until the exhaustion of $100 million in program funds. Since applications for reimbursement from the program fund have reached $85 million, the program will end on March 15, 2022.

Employers should notify employees of the program’s end date and submit any outstanding reimbursements by April 29 here.