http://www.elinfonet.com/starticles/22 Articles discussing workplace law in Massachusetts. Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:07:18 EST en-us http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2289 Article: 2289 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Change to Massachusetts Wage and Hour Laws Calls for Treble Damages; Employers Should Revisit Massachusetts’ Child Labor Laws Before Their Teenage Employees Begin a New School Year; Avoiding Unemployment Costs Following a Voluntary Layoff; http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2284 Article: 2284 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) A recent “clarification” of the Wage and Hour laws by the Massachusetts legislature, effective July 13, 2008, will significantly impact the handling of wage and hour complaints by employers state-wide. Pursuant to Senate Bill No. 1059, any lawsuit alleging a claim under the Massachusetts Wage and Hour laws will carry with it the potential for an award of treble damages, in addition to litigation costs and attorneys' fees, regardless of the willfulness or inadvertence of the employer's actions that form the basis for the claim. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2229 Article: 2229 Mon, 19 May 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) In 2004, the Massachusetts Legislature considerably narrowed the definition of independent contractor, substantially increasing the risk of an enforcement action or lawsuit against Massachusetts employers who use independent contractors. The changed law has presented significant challenges for employers, as many traditional independent contractor relationships would not meet the narrower standard. To clarify the law and explain her enforcement priorities, Attorney General Martha Coakley recently issued an Advisory that provides guidance for employers in determining the classification of their workers. The Advisory supersedes two Advisories issued by her predecessors on the same topic. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2196 Article: 2196 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Wage and hour violations just became even more costly for Massachusetts employers as the Massachusetts legislature passed a bill mandating triple damages for all violations, regardless of employer intent. Senate Bill No. 1059 amends various provisions of the state wage statutes pertaining to damages. The new law goes into effect on July 13, 2008. As a result, wage and hour claims are now more attractive to plaintiffs' attorneys, and employers can expect to see an increase in wage and hour litigation, particularly class action litigation, in Massachusetts, ranging from claims for unpaid overtime to tip pooling violations. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2179 Article: 2179 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Massachusetts employers may soon find themselves facing a significant increase in state wage and hour lawsuits in the wake of legislation that became law earlier this week. The new law makes treble damages (that is, three times the amount of lost wages or other benefits) mandatory if an employer is found to have violated the state’s wage and hour laws, even if the violation was inadvertent. This includes the state’s wage payment and overtime and minimum wage laws. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=2171 Article: 2171 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) On April 14, 2008, the treble damages bill (Senate Bill 1059) became law. This new law makes awards of triple damages mandatory for prevailing plaintiffs in civil actions brought pursuant to the Massachusetts Wage and Hour laws. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1945 Article: 1945 Mon, 10 Sep 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Misdirected e-mail, lost and stolen laptops, and security flaws in corporate websites, when they expose employee personnel information to unauthorized individuals, are now more than a potential embarrassment; they are a legal compliance challenge, especially for multi-state employers. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1926 Article: 1926 Fri, 24 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Comprehensive identity theft legislation signed by Governor Deval Patrick makes Massachusetts the 39th state to protect residents by requiring that they be notified of an unauthorized access or use of their personal information. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1914 Article: 1914 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) All employers with employees in Massachusetts, including employers with ERISA plans, have obligations under the state's new health care reform law. While implementation of the law is well underway, the state continues to issue new regulations and forms. Some important deadlines are on the horizon. This newsletter contains new information on what employers should be doing to ensure compliance with the law. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?stateID=1879 Article: 1879 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) One of the provisions of the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Law taking effect on July 1, 2007 is that an employer with 11 or more full-time equivalent employees employed in the State, must adopt a written Section 125 cafeteria plan in order to be exempt from the Free Rider Surcharge.