President-elect Trump surprised the business community on Friday night when he announced Lori Chavez-DeRemer as his nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Labor. Her selection was met by skepticism by some in the employer...more
11/25/2024
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Foreign Workers ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Independent Contractors ,
Joint Employers ,
Minimum Wage ,
Over-Time ,
Presidential Appointments ,
Secretary of Labor ,
Small Business ,
Trump Administration ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
In the recent Massachusetts state election, voters faced a pivotal decision on a ballot initiative aiming to eliminate the tip credit system. The proposal sought to require employers to pay tipped employees the full state...more
Voters decided more than just who would be the next President and who would be in Congress this Election Day – they also voted on a slew of state ballot measures that aimed to change your workplace. Here’s a recap of the most...more
11/8/2024
/ Ballot Measures ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Protection ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
Minimum Wage ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Recreational Use ,
State Labor Laws ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour
Now that we know Donald Trump will return to the White House as President, it’s time for employers to take a look at what they might expect during his second term in office. We have gathered insights from some of our firm’s...more
11/7/2024
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Data Collection ,
EEO-1 ,
Election Results ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Federal Taxes ,
Foreign Workers ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Immigration Reform ,
Income Taxes ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Misclassification ,
Over-Time ,
Paid Leave ,
Pay Data ,
Popular ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Trump Administration ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Yesterday, a federal appeals court became the first to rule that student-athletes at NCAA Division I schools can bring a lawsuit claiming they are employees and may be entitled to minimum wage and overtime payments under...more
7/12/2024
/ College Athletes ,
Colleges ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Minimum Wage ,
NCAA ,
Over-Time ,
Student Athletes ,
Universities ,
Wage and Hour
Uber and Lyft just reached a $175 million settlement with Massachusetts state prosecutors that permits their drivers to stay classified as independent contractors – not employees – but entitles the drivers to significant...more
Massachusetts voters will decide this November whether employers may continue taking a “tip credit” and paying tipped employees below the state’s standard minimum wage. While restaurant industry representatives fought to keep...more
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is on the verge of settling a major antitrust lawsuit that may radically alter the equation when it comes to student-athlete employment. The pending settlement in House v. NCAA...more
5/28/2024
/ Antitrust Litigation ,
Back Pay ,
College Athletes ,
Colleges ,
Compensation ,
Minimum Wage ,
Name and Likeness ,
NCAA ,
NLRA ,
NLRB ,
Over-Time ,
School Sports ,
Student Athletes ,
Universities ,
Wage and Hour
Massachusetts enacted a five-year plan in 2018 to increase the minimum wage. The plan, which resulted from a “grand bargain” between employee advocates and the business community, carried significant implications for...more
The U.S. Department of Labor’s final regulations addressing the FLSA’s fluctuating workweek (FWW) method reminded us that (1) legal principles control and (2) illustrative examples merely demonstrate application. The agency...more
As Massachusetts employers navigate reopening their workplaces while complying with federal, state, and local guidelines, it is helpful to gain some insight into government enforcement priorities. The Fair Labor Division of...more
6/23/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Earned Sick Time ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
OSHA ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Remote Working ,
State Attorneys General ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
As we look forward to the New Year, Massachusetts employers should be aware of upcoming changes to the Commonwealth’s employment laws that took effect on January 1, 2020, as well as possible changes we foresee on the horizon....more
1/6/2020
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Holiday Pay ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Over-Time ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
As you may remember, it was Christmas in July for employees when Massachusetts passed the “Grand Bargain,” among other things, putting the Commonwealth on a path to a $15.00 minimum wage. When the clock struck midnight on...more
1/9/2019
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Holiday Pay ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
In one fell swoop, Massachusetts has set in motion a plan to increase its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour and create a comprehensive paid family and medical leave program as the result of a “grand bargain” between employee...more
6/28/2018
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Blue Laws ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employee Contributions ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Full-Time Employees ,
Governor Baker ,
Holiday Pay ,
Medical Leave ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Notice Requirements ,
Over-Time ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Paid Leave ,
Rate of Pay ,
Retail Workers ,
Retailers ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tipped Employees ,
Trust Funds ,
Wage and Hour ,
Work Schedules