By Jean M. Wilson and Barry J. Miller
Seyfarth Synopsis: After an extended legislative process, pay transparency requirements are coming for Massachusetts employers. On July 24, 2024, the Massachusetts House and Senate passed a bill requiring employers with over 25 or more employees in the Commonwealth to disclose salary range information on job postings, and to provide pay range information
Continue Reading Massachusetts Legislature Passes Pay Transparency Bill
By Ariel D. Cudkowicz and Adrienne Lee
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employees at a Cresco Labs cannabis cultivation facility in Massachusetts recently made an unexpected and significant decision: they chose to say goodbye to their union membership just shy of their first contract’s expiration in June 2024.
Back in November 2020, the gardeners, shift leads, and other agricultural workers at Cresco’s Fall
Continue Reading Budding Issues? The Fading Smoke of One Union at a Cannabis Workplace in MassachusettsBy John R.Skelton, Anthony S.Califano, and Keval D.Kapadia
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 24, 2022, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) issued a much-anticipated decision in Patel, et al. v. 7-Eleven, Inc., et al. answering a certified question from the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit concerning the application of the Massachusetts independent contractor law
Continue Reading Patel, et al. v. 7-Eleven, Inc., et al – While the Massachusetts’ Independent Contractor Statute May Apply to Franchise Relationships, the SJC’s Decision Actually offers Protection for Franchisors
By Daniel B. Klein, Christina Duszlak, and Alex J. Reganata
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Insurance has announced that the Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“MEPSL”) will expire on March 15, 2022. Employers have until April 29, 2022 to file their applications for reimbursements.
On May 28, 2021, a temporary Massachusetts law providing
Continue Reading Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave Will Expire On March 15th
By John Ayers-Mann and Daniel B. Klein,
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 29, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an Executive Order outlining the process for “lower risk communities” to advance to Step Two of Phase Three of the Commonwealth’s reopening plan. On September 30 and October 1, Massachusetts published updated guidance for businesses in several sectors across the State
Continue Reading Massachusetts Publishes Updated Reopening Guidance for Step 2 of Phase 3
By John Ayers-Mann, Daniel B. Klein, and Robert A. Fisher
Seyfarth Synopsis: As we previously reported, on July 24, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an Executive Order announcing a $500 daily civil fine, effective August 1, for individuals traveling into the Commonwealth who fail to comply with the State’s mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement.
Pursuant to the Order,
Continue Reading Updated Massachusetts Guidance Clarifies Lodging Providers’ Responsibility For Ensuring Guest Compliance With Travel Order
By John Ayers-Mann, Christopher W. Kelleher, Daniel B. Klein, Robert A. Fisher, and Ariel Cudkowicz
Seyfarth Synopsis: Massachusetts will move to the second step of Phase II of the State’s reopening plan beginning today, June 22. Updated COVID-19 guidance issued by the Baker Administration increases office occupancy limits to 50% of maximum capacity, permits indoor
Continue Reading Massachusetts Moves to Second Step of Phase II of Reopening Plan
By Robert A. Fisher and John Ayers-Mann
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 employers. While some changes are helpful, other changes, such as expanded post-determination discovery and procedures for bringing charges on a class-wide
Continue Reading Newly Issued Regulations Modernize Massachusetts Agency Rules But Impose Burdens on Employers
By Robert A. Fisher, James M. Hlawek, and Christopher W. Kelleher
Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 29, 2019, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that the failure to grant a lateral transfer may be the basis of a discrimination claim under Massachusetts anti-discrimination law where an employee can show there are material differences between the two positions in
Continue Reading Massachusetts High Court Finds Failure to Grant Lateral Transfer May Be Discrimination
By Daniel B. Klein and Christopher W. Kelleher
Seyfarth Synopsis: While we await the proposed regulations due by March 31, 2019, the new Department of Family and Medical Leave has provided several points of clarification of which employers should be aware, as we gear up for implementation of the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Law.
As we previously
Continue Reading Massachusetts Offers Further Clarification On Its Paid Family And Medical Leave Law: What Employers Should Know