Effective November 1, 2023, the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law will allow employees to supplement (i.e. “top off”) benefits received from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with any available accrued...more
10/10/2023
/ Accrued Benefits ,
Earned Sick Time ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Medical Leave ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Seyfarth Synopsis: Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced today that the Commonwealth will end most COVID-19 restrictions by May 29. Some industries, including health care, schools, and the transportation sectors,...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 27, 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that between April 30 and August 1, 2021, the Commonwealth will advance through the final stages of the COVID-19 reopening plan. Subject to...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 1, 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed a new law that, among other issues, addresses the solvency of the Commonwealth’s unemployment compensation fund by imposing an excise on wages...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development has issued updated guidance for Massachusetts industries for the reopening order’s Phase IV, Step One transition. The updated guidance...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On February 25, 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced that Massachusetts will advance to Phase Three, Step Two of the Reopening Plan on March 1, 2021. Governor Baker also announced that...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In response to increasing COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts, Governor Charlie Baker issued COVID-19 Order No. 59, which will impose temporary capacity limitations on businesses and gatherings. ...more
12/28/2020
/ Capacity ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Public Health ,
Retail Market ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
Seyfarth Synopsis: With Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) benefits becoming available on January 1, 2021, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (Department) issued several updates, a new...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Governor Baker and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health have issued new restrictions on Massachusetts residents and businesses. The restrictions include a Stay-At-Home Advisory, an Order Requiring...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 29, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an Executive Order outlining the process for “lower risk communities” to advance to Step Two of Phase Three of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In response to a rise in COVID-19 cases, including those associated with large social gatherings, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has issued a new order limiting outdoor gatherings to 50 people and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: As we previously reported, on July 24, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an Executive Order announcing a $500 daily civil fine, effective August 1, for individuals traveling into the Commonwealth...more
7/30/2020
/ Business Travel ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Executive Orders ,
Governor Baker ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health ,
Quarantine ,
State and Local Government ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Traveling Employee
On Friday, July 24, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an Executive Order announcing a $500 daily civil fine, effective August 1, for individuals traveling into the Commonwealth who fail to comply with the State’s...more
7/28/2020
/ Business Travel ,
Civil Monetary Penalty ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Executive Orders ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health ,
Quarantine ,
State and Local Government ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Traveling Employee
This past week, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) released an unofficial version of the final amendments to the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) regulations following a public hearing and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: As Massachusetts has entered Step 1 of Phase 3, the Commonwealth has updated its reopening guidance for several sectors, including office spaces, lodging providers, laboratories, restaurants, manufacturing,...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 4, 2020, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (“EOHED”) issued guidance relaxing its previous COVID-19 related restrictions on Massachusetts retailers and...more
On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) published important guidance from the Division of Insurance (DOI) for employers opting out of the Commonwealth’s Paid Family and...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 7, 2020, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (“EOHED”) issued its updated COVID-19 Essential Services FAQs, providing more details on what is and what is not...more
4/8/2020
/ ABC Test ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Definition ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Essential Functions ,
Freelance Workers ,
Gig Economy ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Regulations ,
Misclassification ,
Payroll Taxes ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Seyfarth Synopsis: Yesterday, the Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) reported on guidance it received from the Department of Revenue regarding how employers participating in the Commonwealth’s Paid Family and...more
1/27/2020
/ Compensation & Benefits ,
Department of Revenue ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Contributions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Medical Leave ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Payroll Records ,
Quarterly Report ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tax Planning ,
W-2 ,
Wage and Hour
Seyfarth Synopsis: Earlier yesterday, the Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) issued its final regulations for the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Law. ...more
6/19/2019
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Labor Regulations ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Required Forms ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Seyfarth Synopsis: On June 13, 2019, Governor Baker signed into law S 2255, officially delaying the start of the payroll deductions for the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program by three months to...more
6/19/2019
/ Delays ,
Employer Contributions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Implementation Day ,
New Legislation ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Payroll Deductions ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rulemaking Process ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has clarified that employers are not required to provide their 1099-MISC contractors the written notice of Paid Family and Medical Leave...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: In important breaking news, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has changed its position and has confirmed that employers may receive approval of a private paid family or medical...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On Wednesday afternoon, the Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) posted template notices for employers to provide to each Massachusetts employee and self-employed 1099-MISC contractor...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On Friday evening, the Massachusetts Department of Paid Family and Medical Leave (DFML) published its revised version of the highly anticipated proposed Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) regulations that...more