Massachusetts paid sick time requirement set to take effect

A six-month transition period was also granted to employers who had paid sick leave policies that were less generous than the law requires.

Among the business owners who have expressed concerns about the new requirement are those who rely heavily on part-time, temporary or seasonal workers.

The Retailers Association of Massachusetts has raised concerns that teenagers who accrue sick leave in part-time or summer jobs would be tempted to miss work even if they're not sick.

The law's supporters say it will spare many of the state's lowest-paid workers an agonizing choice between going to work when they or a child is sick or staying home and losing a paycheck that could mean the difference between buying groceries or paying the rent.