Lawmakers in at least six states are pushing to make striking employees eligible for unemployment benefits rather than being disqualified for participating in the work stoppage, as is the case in all but two states. This...more
Many New Hampshire employers will soon be required to allow employees to keep loaded guns in their cars parked at work, and all employers in the state will soon need to comply with new employee privacy protections regarding...more
As we close out 2024 and look ahead to 2025, one thing is clear: this has been a year like no other. From a groundbreaking Supreme Court ruling to a pivotal election result that will usher in a new administration, employers...more
12/12/2024
/ Affirmative Action ,
Agricultural Sector ,
Analytics ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
California ,
Car Dealerships ,
Construction Industry ,
Construction Workers ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Privacy ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
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Sports ,
Staffing Agencies ,
State Labor Laws ,
Student Athletes ,
Technology Sector ,
Trade Secrets ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Investigations ,
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
While Maine’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) benefits won’t roll out until May 2026, the employer contribution requirements kick in this January. Starting in 2025, any employer with at least one employee in the...more
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development has announced important updates to state employment benefits for 2025. The State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) has increased modestly to $1,829.13 from...more
Voters will be deciding more than just who will capture the White House and Congress this Election Day – they’ll also be voting on a slew of state ballot measures that could change your workplace. How can you prepare? Read...more
The Massachusetts Appeals Court just rendered a decision that significantly broadens when one entity may be found to be a “joint employer” of another entity’s employees under state wage laws. The June 13 decision, coupled...more
When I reflect on the relationship that our firm has with our clients, I’m most proud of the fact that you can always count on us. That often means defending complex litigation, steering you through regulatory threats,...more
12/4/2023
/ 401k ,
Acquisitions ,
Affirmative Action ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Automotive Industry ,
Bias ,
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) ,
Car Dealerships ,
Chevron Deference ,
Child Labor ,
College Admissions ,
Colleges ,
Construction Industry ,
Consumer Privacy Rights ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Criminal Prosecution ,
Cybersecurity ,
Data Deletion ,
Data Privacy ,
Data Security ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Diversity ,
E-Verify ,
Educational Institutions ,
EEO-1 ,
Electronic Records ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
EU ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
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Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
H-1B ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Highly Compensated Employees ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Hotels ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
International Labor Laws ,
Joint Employers ,
Jury Verdicts ,
L-1 Visas ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Relations ,
Labor Shortage ,
Manufacturing Employers ,
Mergers ,
Mexico ,
Name and Likeness ,
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NLRB ,
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OFCCP ,
OSHA ,
Over-Time ,
Pay Data ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Pay Transparency ,
Payroll Taxes ,
Privacy Laws ,
Professional Employer Organization ,
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Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Recruitment Policies ,
Remote Working ,
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Restaurant Industry ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
Retirement Plan ,
Salaried Employees ,
Scheduling Letters ,
School Districts ,
School Policies ,
SCOTUS ,
SECURE Act ,
Severance Agreements ,
Sports ,
Staffing Agencies ,
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State of Emergency ,
Student Athletes ,
Student Loans ,
Students ,
Tip Credit ,
Title IX ,
Trade Secrets ,
Transgender ,
Union Organizers ,
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Wage and Hour ,
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Workplace Violence
Massachusetts recently announced major changes to the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act, including changes allowing employees to “top off” PFML benefits with accrued paid time off and a sizeable increase in contribution...more
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
Massachusetts employers should review and update their employee handbook policies and notices to ensure they accurately reflect Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) obligations. Notably, as the second year of PFML draws to a...more
Massachusetts just joined 17 other states that ban discrimination based on hairstyle by passing the CROWN Act, which Governor Baker signed into law yesterday. The CROWN Act stands for “Creating a Respectful and Open World for...more
This summer marks the second year with Juneteenth as a premium pay holiday for Massachusetts retailers. In 2020, as part of a COVID-19-related spending bill, the Massachusetts legislature added Juneteenth National...more
In yet another gift to plaintiffs’ attorneys, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court just held yesterday that employees are entitled to automatic triple damages for late final wage payments even where the employer pays the...more
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker just signed legislation extending the statewide mandate for employers to provide emergency paid leave related to COVID-19. These COVID-19 Paid Leave obligations will now continue until...more
The highest court in Massachusetts just ruled that employers may be subject to liability under the state’s domestic violence leave law even if employees don’t explicitly request such leave, creating a potential liability trap...more
9/3/2021
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Domestic Violence ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Former Employer ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Job Applicants ,
Job Offers ,
Leave of Absence ,
MA Supreme Judicial Court ,
Retaliation ,
State Labor Laws
Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee recently signed broad new pay equity legislation into law that will require you to change many common workplace practices, slated to take effect on January 1, 2023. While it might seem so...more
8/16/2021
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Pay ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Applicants ,
New Legislation ,
Pay Discrimination ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Protected Class ,
Safe Harbors ,
Salary/Wage History ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed legislation on May 28 creating another statewide mandate for employers to provide emergency paid leave related to COVID-19. The COVID-19 Paid Leave obligations outlined in this...more
6/2/2021
/ American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Eligibility ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Governor Baker ,
Intermittent Leave ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Reimbursements ,
Sick Leave ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
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
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave (DFML) recently released proposed amendments to the Commonwealth’s Paid Family and Medical Leave regulations, marking yet another proposed change to the state’s nascent...more
The Massachusetts legislature is considering expanding the state’s generous paid sick leave statute to add up to 80 hours of emergency paid sick leave for use in times of a declared state of emergency or disaster. While...more
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
In welcome news to Massachusetts employers, the Department of Paid Family and Medical Leave (DPFML) just provided much-needed answers to questions raised by the Legislature’s three-month delay of the nascent paid leave...more