Welcoming a child – whether through birth, adoption, or foster care – is exciting, emotional, and, yes, can be a little overwhelming. One of the most important things you’ll need to do before the “big day” is figure out how to take time off from work, including: (a) when you can start your leave, (b) for how long, (c) how much pay you’ll receive while on leave, and (d) how/when to apply for benefits.

But with so many different types of benefits and terms (like bonding leave, medical leave, FMLA, MA PFML, and short-term disability) it can feel like another full time job just to get the process started. Don’t worry…keep reading and we’ll walk you through the most common types of employment leave available to new parents in Massachusetts.