BOSTON – City Council President Ed Flynn has been proud to work with Mayor Janey, Mayor Wu, and Boston Public Schools since October 2021 to advocate for BPS teachers to be included in the new statewide paid family & medical leave (PFML) policy.

The Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave is designed to help people take paid time off of work for family or medical reasons. This state law passed in 2018 and came into effect in January 2021, allowing anyone who works in Massachusetts and is eligible to take up to 26 weeks of paid leave for medical or family reasons. BPS teachers, however, were not entitled to the state’s Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) benefits at the time. Our city’s paid leave policy did not apply to the Boston Teachers Union.

The lack of paid leave policies for our teachers is a concern for many, as teachers had to use their accrued sick leave or vacation time in order to be paid during their leave. Employees should be afforded paid family leave when they become new parents, or have to take time off for medical reasons and/or to take care of a sick family member.

After learning about this, Councilor Flynn submitted a letter to the Mayor’s Office and BPS Superintendent in October of 2021 requesting that PFML be offered to BPS teachers. As of September 2022, Boston Teachers Union and the Boston School Committee have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with language consistent with the City of Boston’s Paid Parental Leave policy.

“Having a PFML policy is the right and equitable thing to do for our BPS teachers, and I’m committed to supporting our hard working educators on getting the benefits that they deserve,” said Councilor Ed Flynn. “Our teachers are now able to care for and bond with their newborn child – a time that they can never get back and would not trade for the world. I want to thank the Mayor’s Administration and BPS for working with the Boston Teachers Union on setting this right.”

For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and [email protected].

Leave A Comment