In Reuter v. City of Methuen (April 4, 2022), the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court expanded an employer’s liability for the late payment of wages. Generally, Massachusetts law requires that an employer that terminates an...more
In Jinks v. Credico (USA) LLC (December 13, 2021), the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court concluded that the appropriate method for determining whether two companies were “joint employers” for purposes of the Massachusetts...more
On Friday, July 24, 2020, Governor Baker signed a bill designating Juneteenth (June 19th) as an annual state holiday in Massachusetts. In doing so, Governor Baker stated that this designation would help “recognize the...more
In Jinks v. Credico (USA) LLC (March 31, 2020), Judge Kenneth Salinger in the Business Litigation Session of the Massachusetts Superior Court provided guidance on two important wage and hour issues. ...more
On June 13, 2019, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed an emergency bill amending the Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) law. The bill, and subsequent guidance provided by the Massachusetts Department of Paid Family...more
On May 1, 2019, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (Department) offered Massachusetts businesses a temporary reprieve by extending two key deadlines critical to the implementation of the Massachusetts...more
5/3/2019
/ 1099s ,
Department of Revenue ,
Employee Contributions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
IRS ,
Medical Leave ,
Paid Leave ,
State Labor Laws ,
Trust Funds ,
Wage and Hour
On March 15, 2019, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that the “agricultural” exemption to the Massachusetts Overtime Law, M.G.L. c. 151, § 1A, does not apply to workers who perform post-harvesting activities. ...more
3/19/2019
/ Agricultural Sector ,
Agricultural Workers ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Farms ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Federal v State Law Application ,
MA Supreme Judicial Court ,
Over-Time ,
Popular ,
Seasonal Workers ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
On January 23, 2019, the newly-created Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (Department) released proposed regulations clarifying the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees under the new...more
It is an entrepreneur’s nightmare. The company you struggled to create goes out of business due to a lack of financing. As the company goes under, the employees sue. ...more
On June 28, 2018, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker executed legislation that makes sweeping changes to Massachusetts law. As part of this so-called “Grand Bargain” legislation (the “Act”), Massachusetts will incrementally...more
6/29/2018
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Payroll Deductions ,
Retail Workers ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Work Schedules
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently held that individuals acting as board members and investors cannot be held personally liable under the Massachusetts Payment of Wages Law, M.G.L. c. 149, § 148, for a...more
On July 27, 2017, Governor Baker signed the Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (the “Act”). Once the Act takes effect on April 1, 2018, most employers with employees in Massachusetts will be required to provide...more
Massachusetts law requires most retail employers to pay employees time and a half for work performed on Sundays and certain holidays. In a case of first impression, a Massachusetts Superior Court judge recently held that...more
On July 23, 2016, the Massachusetts Legislature passed the Act to Establish Pay Equity (the “Act”). The stated purpose of the Act is to increase wage transparency and bridge the gender gap with regard to wages. Governor...more
On July 1, 2015, the Massachusetts earned sick time law took effect, requiring most Massachusetts employers to provide their employees with the right to accrue and take up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year. The law...more
On Labor Day, President Obama unveiled the latest executive branch action taking aim at federal government contractors. As labor and employment legislation has stalled in a divided Congress, the White House has again turned...more
On July 8, 2015, a federal district court judge held that a section of the Massachusetts Independent Contractor law, as applied to same-day delivery services, is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization...more
7/14/2015
/ Aviation Industry ,
Delivery Drivers ,
Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act of 1994 (FAAAA) ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Independent Contractors ,
Mileage Reimbursement ,
Motor Carriers ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Trucking Industry ,
Unpaid Overtime ,
Wage and Hour
Effective July 1, 2015, all private-sector employers in Massachusetts must provide their employees with up to 40 hours of sick leave per calendar year. Earlier this year, the Massachusetts Attorney General published proposed...more
On June 10, 2015, the Massachusetts Attorney General issued a Notice of Employee Rights (the "Notice") under the Commonwealth's new earned sick leave law, as well as a document clarifying the scope of the "safe harbor"...more
On June 3, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that the Commonwealth’s independent contractor law does not apply to real estate salespersons licensed under, and affiliated with and working for, a licensed brokerage...more
The Massachusetts Attorney General recently issued a supplemental regulation to the state's new sick leave law that aims to provide a "safe harbor" to Massachusetts employers that had qualifying paid time off ("PTO") policies...more
On November 4, 2014, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question that requires all private-sector employers to provide employees with up to 40 hours of sick leave per calendar year....more
5/12/2015
/ Attorney General ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employment Policies ,
Full-Time Employees ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Part-Time Employees ,
Posting Requirements ,
Private Sector ,
Seasonal Workers ,
Sick Leave ,
Temporary Employees ,
Wage and Hour
Effective April 1, 2015, Massachusetts will become the fourth state (after New York, California and Hawaii) to extend employment protections specifically to domestic workers. The "Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights"1 creates...more