Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) is an important provision for many workers facing serious injury or illness within their family or towards themselves. In Massachusetts, this provision has been strengthened by the efforts of the Office of Multilingual Services for the state’s Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. In order to heighten the accessibility and usability of this provision for non-English speaking workers, translation and interpretation services have been provided in more than seven languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Haitian Creole. Marisa de la Paz, the director of the Office of Multilingual Services, stated that this new initiative bridges linguistic barriers for workers and should provide more communities with the opportunity to care for their family members or themselves in times of health crises. The PFML benefits, made available to most Massachusetts workers in 2021, have served 275,000 workers and paid out over $2.3 billion in benefits to date.

To enhance accessibility even further, the state has ensured that employees have the opportunity to discuss PFML benefits over the phone in various languages. This service complements the state’s comprehensive online portal that provides various language options for applying for these services. The state’s contact center can be reached at 1-833-344-7365 for assistance or further information. With the constant increase of applications for PFML benefits showing the growing awareness and reach of the program, it’s important to understand the best methods to contact the respective authorities to inquire or apply for these benefits. After all, no one should suffer a loss of wages due to having to unexpectedly care for a loved one or recover from an injury or illness.

For those looking for similar services in the state of California, the Employment Development Department (EDD) offers provisions for paid family leave and disability insurance. Navigating these services or even getting through to a live person for your queries can sometimes be daunting. A useful resource for those requiring assistance is eddcaller.com, a website that provides tips, information and guidelines on how to contact EDD and understand the various provisions and benefits on offer.