Family Child Care providers who serve subsidized children are eligible to accrue and use Paid Time Off (PTO) — a benefit that covers sick, vacation, personal, and bereavement leave. This policy applies to licensed FCC providers and to relative informal care providers who provide care in the relative's own home.

What PTO Is

PTO is EEC's implementation of Earned Sick Time (as required by M.G.L. c. 149 § 148C and the Office of the Attorney General's regulations at 940 CMR 33.00), updated through the Collective Bargaining Agreement between EEC and SEIU Local 509. Under this policy, "Earned Sick Time" is treated as PTO and can be used for sick, vacation, personal, or bereavement leave — not only for illness.

Accrual

PTO accrues automatically in CCFA based on your billing for subsidized care. You do not need to apply for it — it accumulates as you bill.

Accrual rate: 1 hour of PTO for every 30 hours worked (6 hours per part-time day, 10 hours per full-time day).

Annual cap:

• Up to 5 full-time days or 8 part-time days per fiscal year (July 1 – June 30)
• Unused PTO carries over to the next fiscal year, up to the same cap

When accrual posts: After billing ledgers are generated for each service month. Accrual for July posts in August; accrual for August posts in September; and so on. A PTO day accrued in one month may be used starting the 1st day of the following month.

90-day waiting period: New FCC providers cannot use PTO for 90 days from the first day of the month in which they started serving subsidized children. (This is a requirement of the Earned Sick Time regulations, not an EEC discretionary rule.)

Using PTO

To use PTO, you must have at least one active subsidized child placement in CCFA. You cannot use PTO if you have closed your program or no longer have any subsidized children attending or enrolled.

PTO may be used for: sick, vacation, personal, or bereavement leave.

PTO increments must match your subsidy placements. If all your placements are part-time, you must take part-time PTO. If you have full-time placements, you take full-time PTO. Partial days are not allowed.

Notification requirements:

• For planned PTO: notify your FCC System (if you're affiliated with one) or CCR&R at least 7 days in advance. Written notice is required — email counts.
• For emergency/unforeseeable PTO: notify your FCC System or CCR&R as soon as practicable before using the time.
• Your FCC System or CCR&R must respond in writing to confirm receipt.

Entry into CCFA is handled by your FCC System or CCR&R — not by you.

Anti-Retaliation

EEC, FCC Systems, and CCRRs cannot retaliate against you for:

• Using or requesting PTO
• Filing a complaint about PTO violations
• Telling others about your rights under the law

Recordkeeping

CCFA is the official and complete record of all accrued and used PTO. Your FCC System or CCR&R transmits usage records to EEC through CCFA. Check your CCFA account to see your current PTO balance.

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Next Steps

• PTO for medical or family leave lasting weeks: See Paid Family Medical Leave — PFML (2.11)
• Check your PTO balance in CCFA
• Contact your FCC System or CCR&R for questions about accrual or to report PTO usage