Articles

Massachusetts Should Enforce Noncompetition Agreements only in Local Courts

While it made progress last year on noncompetition issues, the Massachusetts Legislature didn’t get the job done in several areas. Shortcomings and a lack of clarity mean problems that plagued … more →

In Case You Didn’t Know: Minimum Wage in Massachusetts is Now $12/Hour

For those either too busy to hear the news last July, or maybe just too forgetful to recall it, the minimum wage in Massachusetts rose to $12/hour on January 1, … more →

Massachusetts Legislature Passes Noncompetition Statute that Brings an Array of New Rules to the Employment Arena

It took years and came down to the last minutes of the current session, but the Massachusetts Legislature finally passed a noncompetition law on July 31, 2018. If signed by … more →

Lawsuits under the Revised Equal Pay Act are Out of the Gate Quickly

Well, that didn’t take long. On the first business day that amendments to the Massachusetts Equal Pay Act were in effect, the first lawsuit was filed in Boston, according to … more →

Foreseeing Likely Outcomes on 3 Ballot Questions, Massachusetts Legislators Pass Law to Increase Minimum Wage, Grant Family and Medical Leave to Employees, and Require an Annual Sales Tax Holiday

They’re calling it a “grand bargain,” but the deal recently reached among legislators, activist groups, businesses and Gov. Charlie Baker is probably more of grand concession than anything else. Seeing … more →

Massachusetts High Court Concludes Workers can be Employees and Independent Contractors at the Same Time

What once appeared to be an effectively impenetrable wall against the use of independent contractors in the Commonwealth saw a few bricks knocked out by a recent decision of Massachusetts’ … more →

Supreme Court Upholds Employers’ Uses of Arbitration Clauses to Block Class Action Lawsuits

The U.S. Supreme Court has again deflected a challenge to the use in employment agreements of dispute resolution clauses that mandate arbitration and generally bar class action lawsuits. The May … more →

Taking Action to Eliminate Sexual Behaviors at Work is Crucial for Avoiding Sexual Harassment Lawsuits

For those who have yet to grasp the significance of the #MeToo movement, which is encouraging women to complain about sexual mistreatment at work, here’s a bit more help. In … more →

New Pregnancy Law Takes Effect April 1; Employers should have Written Policies in Place by Now

Effective on April 1, 2018, Massachusetts will institute its new pregnancy statute. The law brings broad new protections for pregnant employees, some of which benefit women after a child is … more →

Massachusetts Attorney General Issues Guidance to Help Employers Prepare for the Equal Pay Act

With just four months until a revised Massachusetts Equal Pay Act takes effect and unleashes what is likely to be a wave of pay discrimination lawsuits, the state’s Attorney General … more →