Seyfarth Synopsis: The Labor and Workforce Development Committee of the Massachusetts Legislature has recommended favorable action on a bill that would provide up to 80 hours of paid sick time to employees who need to take...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Massachusetts Legislature is currently considering expanding the Commonwealth’s earned sick time law to provide paid sick time to employees who need to take time off from work for certain reasons...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Pursuant to Governor Baker’s Emergency Order regarding COVID-19 issued Monday, March 23rd, the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (“DPH”) issued a two-part Public Health Advisory...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released a Q&A document which provides important information regarding the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”), as well as a Fact Sheet...more
3/25/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Guidance Update ,
Paid Leave ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Quarantine ,
Relief Measures ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour
Seyfarth Synopsis: California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an Executive Order suspending some Cal-WARN Act obligations, attempting to ease struggling employers’ obligations in the face of COVID-19; but note that employers...more
Among the most common types of wage and hour lawsuits in Massachusetts are independent contractor misclassification suits. These actions arise when an individual who provides a service claims that: (1) he or she was...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Massachusetts Attorney General steps up enforcement of Massachusetts “ban-the-box” law citing 19 businesses for asking impermissible questions about an applicant’s criminal history on an employment...more
5/15/2019
/ Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Regulatory Violations ,
State and Local Government ,
State Attorneys General ,
State Labor Laws
Even fair-minded employers, with sound policies, face “off-the-clock” claims. That is, employers have to defend against lawsuits in which employees argue that they worked hours for which their employers failed to pay them. ...more
Effective July 1, 2018, the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (the “Act”) requires employers to pay employees of different genders equal wages for comparable work unless the difference in pay is explained by the Act’s enumerated...more
Tip #1: Consider An Arbitration Agreement—With A Class Action Waiver -
Until recently, there has been much debate about the enforceability of arbitration agreements containing class action waivers. Courts disagreed as to...more
Massachusetts Attorney General investigates 70 employers (both large and small – across all industries), citing 21 of them for violating the state’s “ban the box” law, which prohibits most businesses from asking about job...more
6/18/2018
/ Ban the Box ,
Conditional Job Offers ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
Regulatory Violations ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective October 13, 2018, Massachusetts employers will no longer be permitted to inquire about certain misdemeanor convictions and sealed or expunged records for employment purposes. ...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Massachusetts Department of Criminal Justice Information Services recently amended the provisions of the Commonwealth’s CORI regulations that govern how employers conduct criminal history checks. ...more