BOSTON – The State Senate has approved a bill that won’t keep employers on the hook for unforeseen spikes in their mandatory contributions to the Massachusetts unemployment fund.
An Act Providing for Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave insures COVID emergency paid sick leave and provides protections for small businesses resembling the protections previously proposed by Plymouth/Barnstable State Senator Susan Moran.
The bill became necessary because state law requires solvency assessment rates (which determine how much an employer is required to contribute to the state unemployment fund) to be set even in states of emergency like COVID.
The resulted in rates skyrocketing from 0.58% to 9.23%.
The bill also makes Massachusetts workers eligible for emergency paid leave if they test positive for COVID-19.
Will Moore, CapeCod.com NewsCenter