Small Necessities Leave Act

In accordance with Massachusetts law, the college provides twenty-four (24) hours of “small necessities” leave in a twelve-month rolling period to all eligible employees for the purpose of:

  1. participating in school activities directly related to the educational advancement of a child of the employee; such as parent-teacher conferences or interviewing for a new school;
  2. accompanying a child of the employee to routine medical or dental appointments; or
  3. accompanying an elderly relative of the employee to routine medical or dental appointment or appointments for professional services related to the elder’s care.

Employees are eligible for small necessities leave if they have completed twelve months of service prior to commencement of the leave, have worked at least 1,250 hours in the twelve months prior to the leave and have not taken twenty-four hours of small necessities leave in the twelve months prior to the commencement of the leave.

Small necessities leave is generally unpaid; however eligible employee may use accrued vacation (in half-day increments) or personal time (support staff) in order to cover the time away. An employee is entitled to small necessities leave in addition to leave for which he or she may be eligible under Family and Medical Leave Act.