Seyfarth Synopsis. On June 4, 2021, Massachusetts released a mandatory COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Notice. Effective immediately, all Massachusetts employers are required to provide the Notice to their Massachusetts...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 28, 2021, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law legislation that grants employees emergency paid sick leave for COVID-related illness, quarantine and vaccinations (“COVID-19 emergency...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: On January 24, 2020, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination issued significant changes to its regulations regarding the processing of cases. The new procedural regulations are a mixed bag for...more
3/12/2020
/ Administrative Proceedings ,
Class Action ,
Class Certification ,
Discovery ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Investigations ,
Motion for Reconsideration ,
New Regulations ,
Probable Cause ,
Regulatory Burden ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State Labor Laws
Seyfarth Synopsis: As we prepare to enter 2020, employers with a presence in Massachusetts should be mindful of certain changes to the wage and hour laws that will take effect in the new year. Most of these changes stem...more
12/30/2019
/ Blue Laws ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Food Service Workers ,
Holiday Pay ,
Labor Regulations ,
Medical Leave ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Over-Time ,
Paid Family Leave Law ,
Rate of Pay ,
Restaurant Industry ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Sunday Pay Laws ,
Tipped Employees ,
Wage and Hour ,
White-Collar Exemptions
Seyfarth Synopsis: On November 27, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit held that, under Massachusetts law, a terminated employee asserting a claim for being deprived of lost compensation in breach...more
12/24/2019
/ At-Will Employment ,
Bonuses ,
Breach of Implied Contract ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Contract Terms ,
Corporate Executives ,
Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Litigation ,
FDA Approval ,
Former Employee ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Regulations ,
Lost Wages ,
Medical Devices ,
Pharmaceutical Industry ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Termination
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
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Massachusetts Attorney General’s office (“AGO”) issued Guidance on March 1 about the changes to the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act (“MEPA”) that will take effect July 1. Employers preparing to comply with...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: A recent decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court limits the scope of the Wage Act to exclude sick time payments and potentially other types of contingent compensation. ...more
2/12/2018
/ Accrued Benefits ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Hiring & Firing ,
MA Supreme Judicial Court ,
Popular ,
Port Authority ,
Sick Leave ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Treble Damages ,
Unpaid Wages ,
Wage Act ,
Wage and Hour
Seyfarth Synopsis: A Massachusetts federal court has found that reporting a rumored office romance and complaining about paramour favoritism can be protected activity that is protected by anti-retaliation laws. The court also...more
11/16/2017
/ Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Internal Reporting ,
Labor Law Violations ,
Omnicare ,
Reasonable Belief Test ,
Retaliation ,
State Labor Laws ,
Summary Judgment ,
Workplace Romances