#55 MA Paid Family & Medical Leave Law with Amanda Hemm & Sarah Douglas

Today we spoke with two special guests about the new Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Law (abbreviated PFML) and how to best prepare for parental leave after the birth of your baby! Our guests are Amanda Hemm and Sarah Douglas from Soutiens.

QUESTIONS we asked Amanda and Sarah:

While this law offers a variety of family and medical leave benefits, today we’re going to focus specifically on the portion that provides paid leave for parents to bond with a child during the first 12 months after a child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement.

So, Amanda and Sarah, can you tell our listeners a bit more about what this new law provides? Are there any eligibility exceptions we should know about?

Speaking of FMLA, are there any key differences between these two laws that parents should understand?

Figuring out a financial plan for your parental leave is just one important part of preparing for life after baby. Your company website says:

"At Soutiens, we are on a mission to help companies attract, retain, and support confident working parents. We specialize in developing comprehensive programming to help working parents who are juggling the priorities of career and parenthood."

Can you briefly share the personal experiences that inspired you to start this business?

In the past, you’ve both spoken about wanting to help new parents plan their leave time “with intention.” What does that mean in practice?

And finally, what are the three most important things new parents should consider during their parental leave if they want to return to work with more confidence and less stress?

To read details about the new law, see Mass.gov.

Recorded Wednesday, March 3, 2021.