G.1.5.5 Small Necessities Leave Act | Marine Biological Laboratory

Marine Biological Laboratory
Policy No. G.1.5.5

Human Resources

Initiated by: Human Resources Director
Approved by: MBL Director
Date: June 2026
Distribution: MBL Community

Pursuant to the Small Necessities Leave Act (“SNLA”), eligible employees may take up to twenty-four (24) work hours of unpaid leave, during a twelve-month period for the purpose of tending to certain family matters which include:

Participating in school activities directly related to the educational advancement of an employee’s son or daughter, for instance, a parent teacher conference or an interview at a new school;
Accompanying an employee’s son or daughter to a routine medical or dental appointment; for instance, a check-up or vaccination.
Accompanying an elderly relative to a routine medical or dental appointment or one related to the elder’s care, for instance, to an interview at a nursing or group home.

This time does not have to be taken consecutively.

Employees who are “Eligible” for SNLA Leave

Employees are “eligible” to take SNLA leave only if they have worked for the MBL for at least twelve (12) months, have worked 1,250 hours during the twelve (12) months and only if there are at least fifty (50) employees of the MBL within 75 miles of the employee’s work site.

Meaning of “12-Month Period” The twelve (12) month period during which an eligible employee can take a leave under this policy is a rolling period. This period is measured backward from the date an employee uses SNLA leave. An eligible employee’s leave entitlement consists of up to twenty-four (24) hours of SNLA leave during this rolling twelve (12) month period. Employees with questions regarding the twelve (12) month period should contact Human Resources.

Intermittent SNLA Leave

An eligible employee may take SNLA leave intermittently and need not use the entire twenty-four (24) hour leave at once. However, the leave taken cannot exceed twenty-four (24) hours during the twelve (12) month period.

The twenty-four (24) hours of unpaid leave are in addition to leave permitted by the FMLA and the Massachusetts Parental Leave Act. Whenever the need for leave is foreseeable, employees must provide the MBL with at least seven (7) days’ notice prior to taking the leave. In all other instances, employees are requested to provide as much notice as possible. The MBL may request written certification confirming the necessity for the leave.

If an employee is entitled to any paid leave under the MBL’s paid time off policies, that leave must be used before any unpaid leave under this policy will be granted.

Guidelines

Employees do not accrue sick leave, vacation, and personal holidays during an unpaid leave.

Employees on a leave are expected to be reasonably responsive to and to communicate with the Human Resources Department during the leave.

If an employee does not return to work when the leave ends and has not been approved for an additional leave of absence or other reasonable accommodation as required by law, employment will be terminated as of the last day of the approved leave of absence.

Policy clarifications and updates are available from the Human Resources office.

MBL reserves the right to amend this policy at any time.