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In 2016, the voters in Massachusetts decriminalized recreational use of marijuana. The law took effect on December 16, 2016. In light of the recreational marijuana use law, employers have three common questions: The short answer to the first two questions is “none.” The decriminalization of marijuana for recreational use by persons twenty-one and over has…

On March 8, 2013, Department of Labor (DOL) regulations regarding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) took effect. While the new regulations are somewhat expansive and cover a number of different things, including airline industry changes, the key changes for non-airline industry employers primarily address issues regarding military exigency leave, military caregiver leave, and…

As Massachusetts employers know, they are subject to extensive and complex wage and hour laws. With the recent passage of new legislation, that exercise will soon become far more costly for the unwary employer. Under legislation which became effective on July 13, 2008, employers who violate the Commonwealth’s wage and hour laws will be required…

A domestic violence leave law for employees was signed into law in August 2014. Covered employers, those who have fifty or more employees, must now allow employees to take off up to fifteen work days per twelve-month rolling year when domestic violence has been perpetrated against them or members of their family. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND…

On October 1, 2018, a new law went into effect in Massachusetts regarding non-competition agreements. The new law significantly restricts an employer’s ability to enforce a non-competition agreement against a former employee or independent contractor, and it imposes several procedural hurdles that must be complied with for a non-competition agreement entered into after October 1…

Here are the key elements of the Massachusetts Pay Equity Act which went into effect July 1, 2018. SAME PAY FOR “COMPARABLE WORK” The cornerstone of the Pay Equity Act is its requirement that both men and women be paid the same rate for “comparable work.” This “comparable work” standard is different from the standard…

In November 2014, Massachusetts voters passed a ballot question to require all Massachusetts private sector employers to grant employees time off from work for sick leave. The law took effect July 1, 2015 and contains a number of interesting nuances detailed below. OVERVIEW OF THE NEW LAW All private sector employers in Massachusetts are now…

INTRODUCTION The purpose of this article is to notify employers what they need to do now to comply with the first aspects of the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML). Thanks to a recently implemented 3-month extension, the new law takes effect on October 1, 2019. Employers must follow the numbered steps below…

This article, originally published in 2011, is provided as reference and for comparison to later legislation. As Massachusetts residents and business operators know, then-Governor Mitt Romney signed into law the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act in 2006. In March 2010 President Obama signed into law the federal Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010…