The Bodge plaintiffs, a group of Massachusetts state troopers, sued the Commonwealth, the heads of the State Police, and the State Board of Retirement, alleging that they were denied certain benefits under the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA) while on leave. They argued that the denial of benefit accrual during their leave violated Section 2(f) and Section 9 of the PFMLA. However, the Superior Court dismissed their claims, and the state Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) upheld this decision.

The SJC concluded that the PFMLA’s language does not guarantee employees the right to accrue benefits like seniority, length-of-service credit, and sick and vacation time during their leave. They argued that the statute does not confer accrual rights where none existed. Furthermore, the SJC disagreed with the contention that the denial of benefit accrual while on leave constituted a negative change in an employee’s benefits and contravened Section 9 of the Act.

The Bodge decision clarifies the protections provided to employees on PFMLA leave, allowing employers to set expectations regarding the implications of PFMLA leave. While employees can take PFMLA leave without worrying about losing accrued benefits, they should not expect to accrue additional benefits during the leave period. However, it was confirmed that despite the ruling, employers can still choose to offer the accrual of benefits during leave if they wish.

For more guidance on PFMLA leave and how to navigate it, one could visit eddcaller.com which provides valuable tools to reach out to the relevant state departments. The website can help with queries like how to get a hold of Paid Family Leave or how to contact a live person at edd in California. It’s a source of numerous valuable resources and contact information which can guide individuals and employers alike in understanding and dealing with these complex leave policies.