The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has published frequently asked questions (FAQS) on its new pay transparency law requiring employers with 100 or more employees in Massachusetts during the prior calendar year to submit...more
As of November 1, 2023, the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law will permit employees to supplement their PFML benefits using accrued paid time off (PTO), such as sick or vacation pay. Employers cannot...more
At the conclusion of the 2023 New York legislative session, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed a bill that, if signed by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, will prohibit employers from entering agreements that...more
New York City recently enacted a new protection against discrimination based on height and weight, while the New York State Department of Labor issued guidance on the New York Labor Law’s accommodation protections for...more
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently issued three decisions with significant implications for employers in the commonwealth, holding that (1) when an employer pays wages to an employee after the deadlines...more
5/3/2022
/ ABC Test ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Franchises ,
Independent Contractors ,
MA Supreme Judicial Court ,
Over-Time ,
State Labor Laws ,
Strict Liability ,
Treble Damages ,
Wage and Hour
Following a period of silence on whether the Americans with Disabilities Act requires websites to be accessible to persons with disabilities, the US Department of Justice released new guidance on March 18 focusing on covered...more
Effective January 26, 2022, revisions to Section 740 of the New York Labor Law will substantially enhance protections for employee whistleblowing in a number of critical ways. BACKGROUND Until now, courts have construed the...more
Beginning on January 1, 2021, Massachusetts employees will be eligible for up to 26 weeks per year of paid leave under the new Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave law (MPFML). ...more
After a three-month delay in implementation to prepare for compliance, employer deductions under the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave begin October 1, 2019....more
The New York State Senate and Assembly have passed two bills amending the New York Labor Law (NYLL) with significant implications for employers in the state: Bill 6549, which implements a statewide prohibition on salary...more
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) has postponed the date by which employers must notify their current workforces of certain legally required information about the state’s new Paid Family and...more
Employers must provide notice to all employees and some independent contractors by June 30, 2019; deductions begin July 1, 2019. ...more
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, which amends the New York State Human Rights Law to explicitly include gender identity or expression, including transgender status,...more
An amendment to the Administrative Code of the City of New York (Int. 0863-2018) was approved on December 20, 2018, by the New York City Council, prohibiting employment discrimination and harassment based on an individual’s...more
The Massachusetts legislature recently passed legislation covering all private sector employees and independent contractors with regard to noncompetition agreements entered into on or after October 1, 2018. The bill sets...more
From reviewing handbooks and policies to training employees on hiring and interviewing, there are several steps that employers in the state should take to ensure compliance with the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act....more
Effective July 18, 2018, employers and operators of public accommodations and all housing in New York City must engage in a cooperative dialogue with individuals who may be eligible for an accommodation and provide a final...more
The New York City Commission on Human Rights’ new publications clarify legislation prohibiting employers from asking New York City job applicants about their past compensation and benefits....more
The New York State Department of Finance and Taxation recently released guidelines for employers and insurers concerning tax treatment of deductions and benefits under the New York Paid Family Leave Law....more
In a landmark decision that is likely to influence other states, a recent ruling in Massachusetts protects medical marijuana users against discrimination by their employers absent undue hardship....more
The court’s decision to restore a $500,000 punitive damages award for failure to adequately address a sexual harassment complaint highlights employers’ duty to investigate every allegation and take appropriate remedial...more
The law, which the governor is expected to sign, features a new “substantially similar” standard, strict limits on seeking compensation history, and an affirmative defense for good-faith self-evaluations.
The General...more
8/1/2016
/ Affirmative Defenses ,
Equal Pay ,
Gender-Based Pay Discrimination ,
Good Faith ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Inadmissible Evidence ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Pay Gap ,
Self-Evaluations ,
Substantially Similar ,
Wage and Hour
DOJ’s unexpected announcement further delays the much-anticipated rules regarding accessibility of government/public (and later private) websites, but indicates an open-mindedness to consider further public comment on the...more
As litigation continues to surge, private businesses await clarity on whether access to people with disabilities under Title III is required for websites.
Claims that websites are inaccessible to persons with hearing and...more
The new laws are designed to protect equality for female employees in New York State; Governor also proposes regulations that would extend protections to transgender employees.
On October 21, New York Governor Andrew...more
11/2/2015
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Anti-Pay Secrecy ,
Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Attorney's Fees ,
Comment Period ,
Confidentiality Policies ,
Damages ,
Disability ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employee Rights ,
Employee Training ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Pay ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Family Status Discrimination ,
Gender Discrimination ,
Gender Equity ,
Gender Identity ,
Gender-Based Pay Discrimination ,
Governor Cuomo ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Interactive Process ,
New Legislation ,
NLRA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Pregnancy Discrimination ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Protected Class ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Sex Discrimination ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Transgender ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wages