An Act relative to access to paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance for graduate student workers

Source of recordMassachusetts · malegislature.govLast synced Sep 9, 2026

Chamber

Senate

Progress

Where this bill stands in the legislative process.

Introduced
Passed Senate
Passed House
To Governor
Became Law

Overview

This bill aims to extend access to paid family and medical leave and unemployment insurance to graduate student workers in Massachusetts. Currently, these benefits may not be available to this group of workers. The legislation seeks to clarify and expand eligibility for these protections, ensuring graduate student workers have access to support during important life events and in cases of job loss.

Key provisions

Expands eligibility for paid family and medical leave to include graduate student workers.
Extends access to unemployment insurance for graduate student workers who experience job loss.
Clarifies the definition of ‘employee’ to encompass graduate student workers.
Addresses potential discrepancies in benefit calculations for graduate student workers.
Requires the Massachusetts Unemployment Assistance to establish a process for graduate student worker claims.