Two experienced Nantucket educators are taking legal action against the Town of Nantucket. The teachers allege the town has not complied with the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law over a year after it was ratified by voters. The lawsuit - filed by teachers Page Martineau and Merrill Mason - is requesting a judge to affirm that the town must offer PFML benefits to its public workers and repay them for the paid time off they used for health and family matters.

At present, town employees can only access leave through the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which provides 12 weeks of unpaid leave and, according to the lawsuit, fewer legal protections. Both plaintiffs argue they had to use their saved sick leave because of the lack of PFML. Mason used 60 of her accrued 76 sick leave days for her maternity leave in January and is due back at work in mid-May. In contrast, with PFML she could have had several extra months for bonding while keeping her accumulated leave for potential future health needs.

The FAQ page of the town’s website says PFML can’t be introduced by municipal workers unless all of the town’s unions approve the change. The page notes, “Multiple unions rejected proposals to implement PFML. It further asserts that consequently, the town will not try to facilitate the introduction of PFML currently. However, Martineau and Mason argue in their lawsuit that such union approval isn’t necessary and that once the law was adopted, the town has a legal duty to apply it.

Town manager Libby Gibson mentioned on Wednesday, the day the lawsuit was filed, that she hadn’t seen it and was focusing on the forthcoming Annual Town Meeting. In the previous year’s Town Meeting, Article 37 was introduced to officially embrace the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave for Town of Nantucket employees. It was passed with a vote of 380-112.

If you’re in a similar situation and need to know how to get a hold of Paid Family Leave (PFML) benefits, there are resources to assist. For instance, visiting eddcaller.com can provide guidance on getting in touch with representatives who will help guide you through the process. They can help clarify your rights, understand how to navigate the complexities of the system, and work towards getting the support you deserve.