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Beginning on May 28, 2021 and extending through the end of September, Massachusetts employees will be eligible for up to 40 hours of Emergency Paid Sick Leave providing paid time off for qualifying reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Enacts Temporary Emergency Paid Sick Leave Law Extending COVID-19 Paid Time Off Through September

Governor Charlie Baker announced on Tuesday, April 27 that as of April 30 masks will no longer be required in outdoor settings. Social distancing, however, must still be maintained.

Effective Monday, May 10, large indoor and outdoor venues will be allowed to increase capacity to 25%. Effective May 29, various other venues such as bars…

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services has issued a guidance for Mass employers who may wish to have their employees vaccinated. The guidance is not a mandate, and is fairly complex regarding steps employers must take to have their employees vaccinated.
Continue Reading The Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services Issues Employer Vaccine Guidance on Heels of Federal EEOC Position Allowing Employers to Mandate Vaccines

In a recent decision, the Massachusetts Appeals Court ruled that the narrow public policy exception to the general principle that an “at will” employee can be terminated without cause does not apply to an employee fired for submitting a rebuttal to information in the employee’s personnel file.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Appeals Court Addresses Application of Public Policy Exception to At-Will Employment

On New Year’s Day, eligible Massachusetts workers will be able to begin receiving paid family and medical leave from the Department of Family and Medical Leave.  Here’s what employers need to know now…

Who is eligible for benefits?

  • W-2 employees
  • Contractors who receive a 1099-MISC form from a business that issues 1099-MISC forms to more than 50% of its workforce
  • Former employees who have been unemployed for 26 weeks or fewer

Continue Reading Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Benefits Become Available January 1, 2021 – Here’s What Employers Need to Know

Effective December 26, 2020, Massachusetts businesses will see additional restrictions on occupancy capacity and gathering sizes.  These new measures, which were announced by Governor Charlie Baker, are intended to prevent a post-Christmas surge of COVID-19 infections.  Massachusetts saw significant increases in infections, hospitalizations, and deaths related to the pandemic following the Thanksgiving holiday, when many people failed to heed recommendations to avoid large gatherings.  The Governor hopes that these new restrictions will avoid a further spike in COVID-19 numbers following Christmas.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Governor Imposes Additional Restrictions, Seeking To Avoid Post-Christmas Surge

As Thanksgiving and what is traditionally the busiest holiday travel period approaches, COVID-19 numbers are rising, and state governments are doubling down on travel and quarantine restrictions.

The State of NH revised its travel guidance on November 12, 2020 changing the quarantine period for those NH residents who travel internationally (including to/from Canada); on a cruise ship; or domestically outside of the New England states for non-essential purposes.  Essential travel includes travel for work, school, personal safety, medical care, care of others, parental shared custody, for medication, and brief trips for take-out food and groceries.  Of course, the guidance continues to discourage business from allowing business-related travel for non-essential purposes.Continue Reading States Issue New Travel and Quarantine Restrictions in Advance of Thanksgiving Holiday

Effective Friday, November 6, 2020, Massachusetts residents will be required to wear a mask or cloth face coverings at all times when in any public place, with limited exceptions.  This new directive expands upon a prior mask mandate issued by Governor Charlie Baker in May.  Under the earlier order, residents were instructed to wear face coverings in public when it was not possible to maintain six feet of social distancing.  The new order removes the distance qualification, and essentially requires people to keep their masks on at all times.  “We’re basically saying if you go out in public, wear a mask,” the Governor said during a press conference announcing the new order.  Governor Baker imposed the harsher rule in light of rising COVID-19 infection and hospitalization rates in Massachusetts this fall.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Governor Issues Stronger Mask Mandate