On Tuesday, we published a bulletin noting that the U.S. Department of Labor had issued proposed regulations on determining whether a worker was an “employee” or an “independent contractor” for purposes of the federal Fair...more
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave has sent out the following bulletin to employers regarding their responsibility to select a Leave Administrator to interface with the state in administering the Paid...more
On June 14, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave issued more details regarding the delay in the start of employer and employee contributions to the Paid Family and Medical Leave program.
As we reported...more
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development has issued draft regulations concerning the state’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave law, which was enacted in June 2018.
A substantial portion of the...more
Over the last decade, non-compete reform has been a third rail of Massachusetts politics. Although many employers believe non-compete agreements are necessary to protect their trade secrets and confidential information,...more
One of the first acts of Alex Acosta after he was sworn in as Secretary of Labor was to withdraw the U.S. Department of Labor’s 2015 Administrative Interpretation on independent contractors. The 2015 Administrative...more
Since 1993 the federal Family and Medical Leave Act has required employers with 50 or more employees to provide unpaid leave to eligible employees for qualifying reasons.
Massachusetts now joins a small but growing number...more
Remember the 2016 Overtime Rule? They sued over that?
Last summer, I wrote about Alvarez v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., a class and collective action alleging that Chipotle violated the Overtime Rule issued by the Obama...more
In August 2016, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker (R) signed into law amendments to the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act, M.G.L. c. 149, s. 105A, which were passed in April 2016 by unanimous votes in the state House and Senate....more
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has held that accrued, unused sick time is not “wages” by the Massachusetts Wage Act, M.G.L.c. 149, § 148, and thus does not require payment within the time frame prescribed by the...more
On July 27, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. The Pregnant Workers Act (1) requires Massachusetts employers to provide pregnant women and new mothers with “reasonable...more
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled this week that an employee’s use of medical marijuana to treat her disability may have to be reasonably accommodated under the state’s handicap discrimination law.
In Barbuto...more
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it will start next month enforcing the new “Home-Care” Final Rule, which prohibits third-party employers from taking advantage of the overtime exemption for certain domestic...more
On Thursday, June 26, 2014, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed legislation that will raise the Commonwealth's minimum wage from $8 per hour to $11 per hour by 2017, which would be the highest minimum wage in the...more