SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1975        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Jacob R. Oliveira

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing paid prenatal leave.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1975        FILED ON: 1/17/2025

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act establishing paid prenatal leave.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 30 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 46I, the following new section:-

Section 46J. Prenatal Leave

(A) Employers are required to give employees twenty-four hours of paid prenatal leave during a fifty-two-week calendar. This leave can be taken and will be paid in hourly increments. This compensation will be paid to employees at the rate of the regularly hour wage or the minimum wage whichever is bigger. An employer will not be required to pay an employee in cases where there is leftover prenatal leave due to that employee's separation from the company in the form of but not limited to termination, retirement, resignation or any other form of separation. 

(B) Paid prenatal leave is defined as leave taken for health care services related or during an individual's pregnancy such as but not limited to monitoring through ultrasounds, testing, or appointments regarding either the baby or the mother's health.

(C) An employer may not require the disclosure of confidential information relating to paid personal leave. No employer or their agent, or the officer or agent of any corporation, partnership, or limited liability company, or any other

person, shall discharge, threaten, penalize, or in any other manner discriminate or retaliate against any employee because such employee has exercised their rights afforded under this section, including, but not

limited to, requesting sick leave or paid prenatal leave and using sick leave or paid prenatal leave, consistent with the provisions of this section.

(D) Employers are required to give employees ten hours of prenatal leave for partner support.