Massachusetts will be joining the growing number of states requiring pay ranges be included in advertisements and provided in certain other circumstances....more
Recent amendments to the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) law now allow employees to use accrued paid leave, such as sick time, vacation time and personal days, to supplement PFML benefits at any time during...more
It is that time of year again, when the Rhode Island legislature ends its session and passes a number of laws that affect businesses with Rhode Island based employees. 2023 was no different. Following is a short summary of...more
7/21/2023
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Holidays ,
Independent Contractors ,
Misclassification ,
New Legislation ,
Non-Disclosure Agreement ,
Private Right of Action ,
Rhode Island ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Theft
With the new year just a handful of weeks away, employers should take note of one notable change to the Rhode Island Temporary Caregiver Insurance Program (“TCI”) taking effect in 2023. Beginning January 1, 2023, the maximum...more
Pursuant to the new law legalizing recreational marijuana in Rhode Island, private employers are now prohibited from firing or taking other disciplinary action against an employee for recreational marijuana use outside the...more
The Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training’s (“RIDLT”) much anticipated Proposed Regulations (“Regulations”) to the Rhode Island Pay Equity Law (the “Act”) have arrived. As we previously discussed, on July 6, 2021,...more
6/6/2022
/ Comment Period ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Notice Requirements ,
Pay Discrimination ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Public Comment ,
Rhode Island ,
Safe Harbors ,
Self-Evaluations ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Minimum Wage Increase -
As set forth by legislation passed in 2018, the minimum wage in Massachusetts will increase to $14.25 per hour on January 1, 2022. This amounts to a 75-cent jump from the current minimum wage of...more
On July 6, 2021, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee signed Pay Equity legislation (the “Act”) (H 5261A, S 0270A) into law. The Act is a broad piece of legislation that applies to all employers. While the Act does not go into...more
7/15/2021
/ Affirmative Defenses ,
Employee Benefits ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement ,
Notice Requirements ,
Pay Discrimination ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Protected Class ,
Safe Harbors ,
Salary/Wage History ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour
Governor Baker has signed a mandatory emergency paid sick leave law (“EPSL”) requiring that every Massachusetts employer provide up to 40 hours of paid leave to employees for certain reasons relating to COVID-19. The payment...more
Rhode Island and Massachusetts have joined the growing list of states that are enacting orders requiring citizens to quarantine for up to two weeks after traveling to other states. These travel restrictions often prohibit...more
8/27/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Health and Safety ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Quarantine ,
Remote Working ,
Staffing Agencies ,
State Labor Laws ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Vacation Leave ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
With more and more individuals taking on the so-called “side hustle” of driving for Uber or even entirely leaving the traditional 9 to 5 work life and opting to make the “gig economy” work as their full time occupation,...more
2/19/2020
/ Arbitration Agreements ,
Employee Definition ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Litigation ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Gig Economy ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Independent Contractors ,
Labor Regulations ,
Misclassification ,
Right to Control ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour