Q.  Are there any new laws in Massachusetts that my company should be aware of?

A.  Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker recently signed a bill that will serve as a turning point for working families. Referred to as the “Grand Bargain,” the bill represents a compromise among legislators, labor, community and business groups. The four main components of the bill will significantly impact all Massachusetts employers with at least one employee over the next five years.
Continue Reading MASSACHUSETTS IS ON THE RISE! Increases in the Minimum Wage and Establishment of a Paid Family and Medical Leave Program Strengthen Massachusetts’ Competitive Economic Environment

Q.  I suspect that our company may have inadvertently committed overtime and minimum wage violations. Is there a way I can make this right without incurring substantial legal liability?

A.  Possibly. Earlier this year, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division announced the creation of a new nationwide pilot program called the Payroll Audit Independent Determination (PAID) program. In short, the PAID program encourages employers to conduct payroll self-audits and, if they discover overtime or minimum wage violations, self-report those violations to the DOL and work with the DOL to rectify the problem and ensure employees are paid any wages owed.
Continue Reading PAID Program Provides a Way to Resolve Overtime and Minimum Wage Violations

As discussed in Part I (posted earlier this week), a number of states and local municipalities have enacted paid sick leave legislation mandating paid time away from work for employees. While some of these laws are already in effect, others are coming soon.  Employers with operations in the following areas should revisit their policies and make adjustments as needed to plan for these upcoming changes:
Continue Reading New Paid Sick Leave Laws Compel Employers to React — and Prepare (Part II)

A few years ago, the New York Times ran an article about investigations into the legality of unpaid internships at for-profit businesses, explaining that such investigations were being conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor, as well as by the labor departments of several states, including California, Oregon, and New York.

At that time, many practitioners expected that there would be a tidal wave of class action lawsuits brought by former unpaid interns but, surprisingly, that wave did not come…until now. 
Continue Reading Are Your Unpaid Interns Going To Rebel?